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[The kids sure like the crazy hair and dueling antics, so here's another GBA game from Konami.]

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TalkBack / Hey Look! Another Yu-Gi-Oh! Game

« on: June 29, 2004, 03:59:07 PM »

The kids sure like the crazy hair and dueling antics, so here's another GBA game from Konami.

KONAMI SHIPS YU-GI-OH!(tm) RESHEF OF DESTRUCTION(tm) FOR NINTENDO'S GAME BOY(r) ADVANCE AND YU-GI-OH!(tm) POWER OF CHAOS: JOEY THE PASSION(tm) FOR PC CD-ROM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. - June 29, 2004 - Konami Digital Entertainment - America, a division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced that it has shipped Yu-Gi-Oh!(tm) Reshef of Destruction(tm) for Nintendo's Game Boy(r) Advance and Yu-Gi-Oh!(tm) Power of Chaos: Joey The Passion(tm) for PC CD-ROM. In Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction, players have access to 800 unique cards, including all three of the powerful Egyptian god cards, as they embark on an all-new role playing game adventure. For PC gamers, Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Joey the Passion delivers the ultimate PC trading card game battle featuring two-player LAN play for the first time in the series.  

In Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction, the sequel to the hit video game, Yu-Gi-Oh!(tm) The Sacred Cards(tm), players will face Reshef the Destroyer, who is out to blanket the world in darkness. Players must team up with Yugi and his friends to save the world from eminent destruction. Gamers will battle with more than 100 duelists to create the ultimate deck and go face-to-face with the ominous, Reshef. Buy, sell, and even wager cards with other characters throughout the game to build an undefeatable deck. Gamers can also battle head-to-head with their friends via the Game Boy(r) Advance Game Link(r) Cable to increase their skill level, determine the top duelist or trade cards to create stronger decks.  

In Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Joey the Passion, the exciting gameplay and rules of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME are implemented as well as an all-new interface, enhanced strategies and two-player LAN play to redefine PC dueling. Gamers can access hundreds of new cards as well as import acquired cards from Yu-Gi-Oh! Power Chaos: Yugi the Destiny and Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Kaiba the Revenge to create the ultimate deck to duel against friends.  

As an added bonus for fans of the popular franchise, the games come packed with three exclusive limited edition Yu-Gi-Oh! game cards. Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction includes Dark Magician Knight, Knight's Title and Sage's Stone. Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Joey the Passion includes Red-Eyes B. Dragon, Sebek's Blessing and Sword of Dragon's Soul.

Driving the popularity of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise to new heights, the Yu-Gi-Oh! games launch amidst numerous other Yu-Gi-Oh! events occurring this summer. The Yu-Gi-Oh! US Finals Video Game Tournament occurs July 22nd-23rd at the Comic-Con consumer expo in San Diego, California and the

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Video Game Tournament takes place on July 25th in Southern California at the Anaheim Convention Center. In addition, the first feature-length Yu-Gi-Oh! film debuts in theaters nationwide in August. As a top-rated television show, popular card game and a hit video game series, the recognition of Yu-Gi-Oh! continues to soar as the Yu-Gi-Oh! craze sweeps the nation.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction and Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Joey the Passion are rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB and are available at retail outlets nationwide for an SRP of $29.99. To learn more about the games, please visit: http://www.konami.com/usa.  

For additional information on the Yu-Gi-Oh! US Finals and World Championship Video Game Tournament, please visit: http://www.konami.com/yugiohtournament2004/ or http://www.yugiohwwct2004.com.

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TalkBack / Reviews: Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

« on: June 17, 2004, 06:21:38 PM »

If you thought the last Zelda should have had fewer side-quests and more dungeons, this is the game for you.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures follows in the footsteps of the multiplayer game included on the Game Boy Advance release of A Link to the Past. Using GBAs as controllers, up to four players can work together to advance through a series of twenty-four dungeons spread across eight locations.

The quest begins on a dark night, when Zelda and six other maidens fear that the seal of the Four Sword which binds the wind sorcerer Vaati may be fading. They open a door to the shrine where the Four Sword is kept, and a dark shadow of Link leaps out and captures them. Seeing no other alternative, Link draws the Four Sword, splitting him in four and releasing the seal on Vaati. He must now venture throughout Hyrule to rescue the maidens, defeat Vaati, and learn the secret behind the endless number of Shadow Links wreaking havoc throughout the land.

Gameplay is a unique blend of competition and cooperation. You have to work together to solve puzzles, and defeat bosses. While you all may need to stand on a switch or push a block, you’ll also be pushing each other out of the way to get the spot closest to the door that’s about to open. You’re constantly fighting to get heart containers, special items, and force gems, which are scattered throughout each level by the thousands. (Force gems are similar to rupees, but when your group finds 2000 of them, the Four Sword powers-up and gives you the classic sword beam technique and Wind Waker’s dizzying new version of the spin attack.) At the end of each level, the game tallies up the enemies defeated, gems, hearts, number of deaths, and even votes from other players to declare one person the ultimate winner.

In what may be its last major role, the Game Boy Advance connection is integral to the sense of freedom and competition in the title. The action shifts between both the TV and GBA screens. You’ll advance together as a group on the GameCube, but whenever one of you enters a house or cave or falls down a hole, you’ll leave the GameCube screen and show up on the GBA. It starts out as simply jumping into a house to nab treasure before someone else, but by the end of the game you’ll be navigating complex mazes and entering separate rooms to open the way farther into the dungeon.

What’s brilliant about Four Swords is that the game seamlessly adapts to the number of players you have. You can play one level alone, the next level with two players, and the next level with a full four – all on the same save file. Not only that, but the dungeon designs actually change in spots based on the number of players you have. One room that requires players to enter from different sides and trade off the same special item is entirely replaced with a different puzzle in single player.

While the game does hold up well with fewer players, the excitement level still clearly drops when you don’t have a full group. In two-player mode, you each control two Links, but it has far less of a competitive spirit, and you may find yourself offering treasures to your partner rather than trying to nab them all for yourself.

Single-player puts you control of your own personal group of four Links, which you can put into various formations or select and move independently. It feels largely like any other Zelda game, but since you can only hold one item at a time, you’ll spend much of your time backtracking to switch items.

The game takes place throughout eight sections of Hyrule ranging from Lake Hylia, Death Mountain, The Lost Woods, and the desert, with three levels in each area. While fairly linear in nature, there is a huge amount of variety. Many stages will have you traversing a variety of dungeons. Some take place in villages where you’ll need to solve the villagers’ problems or round up gangs of thieves. There are towers featuring the side-scrolling perspective from Link’s Awakening, and even a stealth level – which isn’t easy with three of you trying to sneak past the searchlights, and the fourth getting the whole lot of you thrown in the dungeon because he just can’t resist breaking the pots.

In many of the stages you’ll also encounter groups of Shadow Links wreaking havoc in a variety of ways. Sometimes you simply have to defeat them. Sometimes one will disguise himself as one of you. Sometimes one will drop an enormous bomb that kills everyone on the screen unless they’ve found refuge in the GBA -- forcing you to find the next hole or cave quickly. And other times, they’ll just annoy you by bouncing around just out of sword’s reach.

All of the boss battles are top notch, despite the fact that many of the boss characters are reused from previous games. Coordinating with your teammates often makes things more difficult since you’ll need to link your attacks or bounce an energy ball from one person to the next. Some of the battles make use of the GBA connection, having you do one thing on the GameCube screen, while someone else is waiting to strike when the boss gets knocked into the GBA. The final few bosses are especially tough, creative, and satisfying.

In addition to the main quest, Four Swords Adventures also sports a healthy number of mini-games. From the start, you’ll have access to Shadow Battle, which basically amounts to a Zelda death-match wherein the last man standing wins. There are five Shadow Battle stages with their own specialty traps. Much of the hilarity and energy in Shadow Battle comes from some the unique attacks. You can throw a roulette ball that releases all sorts of items. There are Bombchu triplets that bounce across the stage. You can gain invincibility and run over your foes by hopping on Epona, and then there’s the Homing Chicken that steals a heart from your rival and brings it back to you.

Shadow Battle’s not all though. As you journey through each of the main areas, you’ll be invited to Tingle’s Towers, unlocking a total of eight more mini-games. You’ll race horses, play tag, whack “moles”, face dozens of enemies at a time, and play a game of tennis with a very large woman wanting to lose weight. There’s even a bonus dungeon filled to the brim with baddies. The mini-games aren’t that straightforward though. Even if you lose the main game, there’s a chance to make up for it by collecting more gems, and Tingle will reward or penalize players based on special criteria.

There are only a few low points in Four Swords; the main one being the amount of things reused. The SNES graphics mixed with the special GameCube effects is cool at first, but after a while, the contrast just starts to show how blurry most of the sprites really are. It would have been great if Nintendo could have created crisp new art assets, keeping the SNES game’s flavor, but showcasing the GameCube’s power with a gorgeous 2D Zelda game. In like manner, none of the music is really new, and some of the songs are painfully overused. These shortcomings may not seem all that significant, but they contribute to the nagging sense that the game is just a remix and not a true addition to the series.

On the control front, most things are clear and simple, but the R and A buttons having multiple functions mapped to them can create minor headaches. The R button is used to both make quick rolls and to pick up items. As a result, someone inevitably tries to scurry across the room and picks up someone else by mistake, causing shouts of “Put me down!” and “Sorry! Sorry!” The A button doubles as the item button and Action button, which works fine unless you have the fire rod and somehow manage to burn yourself trying to open a treasure chest. While you’re running around with your pants on fire, someone else will surely open the chest for you…

Another problem somewhat related to the controls involves the GC-GBA Link Cable. If the cable is disconnected or the GBA gets shut off by mistake, the game will automatically reset within a few seconds. If you’re quick, you can catch it. If you’re not, you’ll need to restart the level even if you had already defeated the boss and started talking to the princess (as happened once to me).

Despite these shortcomings, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures shouldn’t be overlooked. Multiplayer adds an entirely different dimension to the Zelda series. It’s creative and challenging, and easy for players to jump into at any point without getting lost. If you’ve been waiting for a new 2D Zelda, a Zelda game with plenty of dungeons, or just a Zelda that you can play together with your girlfriend, pick up Four Swords without a second thought.

Pros:

Twenty-four full dungeons

Can continue quest without being tied to specific players

Unique implementation of GBA Connectivity

Feverish balance between cooperation and competition

Cons:

Too many reused SNES graphic and sound elements

R button and link cable mishaps

Death has no sting when you can effortlessly collect 99 Force Fairies.

Graphics: 6.0

   As cool as SNES graphics seem at first, making the whole game with sharp new sprites would be even cooler. The crisp special effects look great, and it’s a blast to be able to burn whole fields or to have three or four dozen enemies on-screen at once.

Sound: 5.0

   While these were some of the best songs in A Link to the Past, Four Swords plays them out quicker than Top 40 radio programming.

Control: 8.0

   Aside from the context sensitivity in the A and R buttons, the controls are as clear and simple as always. The formation system is a smart and simple way of allowing people to enjoy the game in single player.

Gameplay: 9.0

   The more people you add, the more fun and frenzied the game becomes, and even though it lacks the same social energy, single player is worth playing too.

Lastability: 8.5

   Although it’s a bit simpler and more linear than other Zelda games, Four Swords does feature a healthy number of dungeons that last between half an hour to an hour long and several mini-games to boot. Add in the fact that you can easily go back and play whichever stage you like when new friends come by, and Four Swords should last you a good while.

Final Score (Not an average): 8.0

   The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures won’t scream must-have for everyone, but it certainly won’t disappoint. Its fantastic blend of cooperative adventure gameplay and competitive spirit makes it a worthy purchase for any Zelda fan that’s eager to get some friends involved.

[Over a million counterfeit goods found. Employees facing prison sentences.]

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TalkBack / Huge Piracy Company Busted in Taiwan

« on: May 25, 2004, 04:39:36 PM »

Over a million counterfeit goods found.  Employees facing prison sentences.

DID YOU KNOW? - COUNTERFEITERS PAY HEFTY PRICE IN TAIWAN FOR ILLEGAL MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION OF NINTENDO PRODUCTS

May 24, 2004 – Taiwan's Pan-Chiao District Court has rendered a judgment against Taiwan's Yudian Company, a major manufacturer and distributor of counterfeit Nintendo Game Boy® video game cartridges. Hwei-chu Chen, one of the principals of Yudian, was sentenced to six years in prison, while six other employees of Yudian received sentences of up to three years in prison.

The prosecution resulted from a raid on Yudian that was conducted by the Taipei County station of the Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice (IB) on May 21, 2001. Yudian Company was owned by Chen-chi Kuo and Hwei-chu Chen, and has been suspected of manufacturing and distributing Nintendo counterfeits for years. The IB seized from Yudian more than 1.5 million pieces of counterfeit Nintendo goods, including components used to assemble those counterfeit products. The case was one of the largest counterfeit cases in Taiwan in years and the goods were destined for global distribution.

The huge quantity of counterfeits caused the Pan-Chiao District Attorney to indict all major defendants, including Hwei-chu Chen and seven employees, although the president of Yudian, Mr. Kuo, has fled and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The Pan-Chiao District Court rendered guilty judgments against all the defendants and issued its sentences after a review of the detained counterfeits that were seized from Yudian.

"Chen-chi Kuo, Hwei-chu Chen and the companies they control have sold millions of Nintendo counterfeits around the world," said Jean Lin, manager of anti-piracy for Nintendo of America Inc. "This judgment will deter others from manufacturing and distributing Nintendo counterfeits in the future. We applaud the Taiwan governmental and judicial efforts to put an end to this major counterfeiting operation."

Worldwide piracy is estimated to have cost the United States entertainment software industry more than $3 billion annually. In 2003, Nintendo, together with its publishers and developers, suffered nearly $720 million in lost sales as a result of illegal copying of Nintendo products.

[Tanabe:]

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TalkBack / INTERVIEWS: Kensuke Tanabe Talks Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

« on: May 18, 2004, 12:11:12 AM »

The full transcript from our interview during E3.

Written: 05/18/2004

During the 2004 Electronics Entertainment Expo, PGC and IGN sat down with Kensuke Tanabe who is overseeing Metroid Prime 2: Echoes for GameCube and Metroid Prime: Hunters for Nintendo DS. Jonathan Metts and Daniel Bloodworth represented Planet GameCube, and Matt Cassamassina was there from IGN. We asked him a few questions regarding Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and NOA’s Tim O’Leary translated.

The interview starts with some background on Mr. Tanabe:

Tanabe: I started at Nintendo in Japan in 1986. I was in EAD until last year, and I started working on second party titles about ten years ago. The first game I directed was Super Mario 2 on the NES. On the Super NES, I’m the Link to the Past guy. Once I started working with second party stuff, the first game I did with that was on the N64 was Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, and as far as second party titles on GameCube: Metroid Prime, and now Metroid Prime 2 as well.

IGN Matt: Are you based in Texas or do you work out of NCL as well?

Tanabe: Japan

PGC Jonathan: What is the goal of Metroid Prime 2? What are you trying to do? What is the game really about as opposed to the first game?

Tanabe: Our obvious goal is to build another game for people that enjoyed Metroid Prime. It’s just an enjoyable game for them to play so we can continue this franchise.

IGN Matt: There’s a rumor going around that Retro lost some of it’s artists. I was just wondering if you can confirm that.

Tanabe: They lost artists? They haven’t lost anybody.

IGN Matt: So it’s the same team entirely?

Tanabe: Right after the completion of Metroid Prime, a couple people left. There was an engineer that left, maybe two engineers, but it wasn’t all on the creative side, but it was a very limited number of people.

PGC Jonathan: Can you explain the light and the dark themes? I’ve seen how they work in the world: you go from the dark side to the light side, but I don’t understand the beam weapons and how those are related to the light and the dark worlds.

Tanabe: First of all, the doors between the two worlds are called portals. The portal into the dark world is the dark portal – the light world’s the light portal. To go into the dark world you need the dark beam. So, to open a portal from the dark world to the light world, you need a light beam.

In each world there are different beings, different opponents. The creatures that inhabit the dark world are called Ings, and the Ings are vulnerable to the light beam. And vice-versa, the creatures that inhabit the light world are more susceptible to take more damage from the dark beam.

PGC Jonathan: I noticed that the light beam and the dark beam have limited ammo, and other than very special weapons like missiles and power bombs, typically the Metroid games all the weapons have unlimited ammo. So I wanted to know why did you decide to take these weapons that are apparently very fundamental to the game and give them limited ammo?

Tanabe: I’m sorry if I gave the wrong impression early when I said that the dark creatures are effected by the light beam, but they’re also effected by other weapons. It’s just that the light beam is the most effective, and if we give the light beam and the dark beam unlimited ammo then when you’re in the dark world, why would you use anything other than the light beam -- it’s the most effective one -- and use it all the time? We don’t want the player to do that. We want them to have to use some strategy and figure out some different ways to defeat enemies rather than just bringing out the big gun every single time. We wanted to introduce that choice, that element.

IGN Matt: Why is it called Metroid Prime: Echoes? Does it relate to the new visor mode that lets you see sound?

Tanabe: Well there is going to be an echo visor, and you’re right does make it so you can see sound in certain ways, but that is not where the name came from. The name itself refers to the two planets existing simultaneously, each one being an echo of the other.

IGN Matt: When you’re in the dark world, currently, you take damage when you’re outside of a protective shield. Will Samus be able to gather a suit that allows her to exist in the dark world?

Tanabe: My thought is that you’re probably on the right track…

PGC Bloodworth: With the multiplayer, that’s a new thing for the Metroid series entirely. What led to the decision to do that? Was it a natural thing with what people are used to with first-person games or do you have some other creative ideas that you wanted to add to that?

Tanabe: You know actually, we wanted to have a multiplayer mode in the first Metroid Prime. However, we just didn’t have the time to do something that would be of sufficient quality. So our plan right from the beginning of Metroid Prime 2 was definitely to include a multiplayer factor. We also thought that’s something the fans wanted. That’s something we wanted to do as well.

IGN Matt: I have a two-part question. The first is: Will you be able to play as Dark Samus for any reason – as a special unlockable or a second mode. The second is: Is there any link functionality at all between the DS Metroid Prime: Hunters?

Tanabe: Well there’s no plan right now to have Dark Samus as a playable character, and there’s no plan to have any connectivity with the DS as well.

Editor's note: During a roundtable interview on the following day, Tanabe-san mentioned that so many people had asked him about connectivity during these small interviews that he would begin considering such a feature.

PGC Jonathan: With the multiplayer mode can you give us some examples of the things that you’re doing to balance the multiplayer so that for instance, the lock-on doesn’t become too derivative. So that players can’t just roll into the ball and roll around constantly and make the match go on forever. Obviously, there’s so many things about Metroid that make it play differently than the deathmatch that we’re used to. What is your approach to dealing with some of those issues.

Tanabe: That’s something we’re still trying to figure out ourselves. We really don’t see it as a problem in that everybody wants to have someone win the game, and obviously we have the death ball that you can go into as well. I just feel that once people start playing, they’re going to go back and forth between the morph ball. I don’t envision people just rolling around forever and not try to get to the end of the game.

IGN Matt: Can you detail a little bit more about what you’re calling the Echo Visor and how that works?

Tanabe: Well we’re not showing on the floor, and it’s one of the things we purposely chose not to show because we wanted people to have something to look forward to. As you can derive from the name, that’s pretty much all the information that we can add to this.

PGC Jonathan: We saw in the video yesterday [at the press conference] what appears to be Samus gaining multiple lock-on targets, I think with using that visor, but perhaps you can do it at other times as well. I’d like to know how this feature works and how you work it into the game.

Tanabe: That’s a new ability of missiles actually.

IGN Matt: In terms of first-person gameplay and morph ball gameplay, how much of each would you say is in the game? Are there any more third-person elements?

Tanabe: As far as the percentages, it’s probably not very different from Metroid Prime. Most people are probably going to be playing in first-person for the majority of the game. The other third person element we’ve added is the screw attack. That’s not in first-person; that’s in third-person because first-person would make you ill.

PGC Jonathan: Will you explain how the screw attack happens? Can you do it anytime you want? Can you only do it in certain places?

Tanabe: Once you get the item, you can do it anytime you want, but it’s designed to allow you to wall jump up chasms. So doing it in a big open courtyard – you can do it if you want, but if you want to define where I can use it as far as effectively in gameplay, it’s going to be designed just for a few areas.

PGC Jonathan: Is it also used as a weapon?

Tanabe: It’s not one hundred percent finalized, but it’s not really designed to be a weapon per se – more of an exploratory device.

PGC Jonathan: Can you use it in multiplayer?

Tanabe: It’s not in there right now. I can’t envision places in a multiplayer match where you’d use it. But if there is an outcry to have screw attack in multiplayer, by a lot of people, we’d consider it sure.

PGC Jonathan: (raises hand) Outcry.

(all laugh)

IGN Matt: Will multiplayer mode support LAN capabilities?

Tanabe: No.

PGC Bloodworth: I came across hacking mode in multiplayer. I didn’t have enough time to figure out exactly what it’s for, but I wanted to know whether it’s just a multiplayer function or is it a single-player function and exactly how it works.

PGC Jonathan: I was hacked, and I lost missile capability.

Tanabe: Fundamentally, in multiplayer mode there’s really no place to use the visors right? We really wanted to, so this was the point to utilize those. If you’re scanning you can infect your opponent with a virus, and that gives the character damage. It just wasn’t very interesting?

PGC Bloodworth: I just didn’t understand how it worked.

Tanabe: In the production version, there will be a manual to show you what to do (laughs) or you can write how to do it in your magazines.

IGN Matt: What’s the name of the planet that Samus is exploring?

Tanabe: It’s Aether.

PGC Jonathan: So you’ve figured out a way to use the scan visor in multiplayer. Will the other visors be available?

Tanabe: We don’t have any plans for that right now. We would like the multiplayer mode to be pretty straightforward, pretty simple.

IGN Matt: How will the story be delivered? Is it a lot of scanning again or are there going to be cut-scenes or voice work or anything like that?

Tanabe: We don’t have any voice or narrative plans so far. I believe there are more cut-scenes in this game than the previous game, but the scan visor is used to drive the story elements.

PGC Jonathan: Can you explain the changes made to the scan visor? I noticed that it worked much differently than the previous game.

Tanabe: Same functionality, just the design, the look of it, has changed. The designer who is in charge of the visor display and elements said, “I don’t want to use the same one. I want to change it. I want to make it seem like it’s different, it’s new.” So it’s the same functionality, just a different cosmetic look to it.

IGN Matt: We talked about the screw attack. Are there any other abilities for Samus to acquire in the game?

Tanabe: Nothing really big. That’s the big one. The biggest difference in this game, more so than the ability and functionality of Samus herself is that huge diversity between the light world and dark world. That’s the big new thing.

IGN Matt: I take it Dark Samus will be the prominent figure in the game, always hunting Samus.

Tanabe: (laughs) We’ve had that question a bunch actually. In the video you saw featured yesterday, Dark Samus was featured really prominently, but in the game, not as much as that video suggests. Dark Samus’s role is not delineated as a hunter or a hunted. It’s more mysterious than that. It’s not the main enemy. –Maybe. (laughs) We’re afraid that the video maybe gave a little bit of a wrong impression.

IGN Matt: From a technical standpoint, what are you most proud of with this game that you guys have accomplished?

Tanabe: In the first game we were really happy with the short load times. I know that they really continue to want to make those things even shorter and shorter. They’ve put a lot of effort into that.

PGC Jonathan: In the demo, in the single-player mode, there’s a section where you go into the sort-of 2D morph ball stage, and it’s very slow because you have to keep having to set bombs to jump up. Are there any plans to incorporate the spring ball upgrade perhaps so you could move around a little more quickly, more easily.

Tanabe: No plans right now. I want people to take their time. Slow down. You guys are busy in every other aspect of your life. You can go slowly through there.

IGN Matt: How big is the development team now?

Tanabe: About the same as last. About forty people.

PGC Jonathan: Are there any changes to how the spider ball works from the first game? Would you use it more than you did in the first game?

Tanabe: I can’t give you any details about that. I think it moves better this time. The controls have been improved for the spider ball.

PGC Bloodworth: I guess this is probably a funny thing. What led to the crystals? Is that an internal idea or has Final Fantasy led to that at all?

Tanabe: No, we didn’t have any outside influence on why we wanted to do these crystals, but we needed something to shoot to create these safe zones that allow you to travel through this dark world and you know, crystals are pretty and they’re easy to see and they look good.

IGN Matt: How long would you say the game is overall if you compared it to the first game?

Tanabe: I haven’t played it from beginning to end, so I can’t give you a definite, “It’s going to take this long,” but I think it’s pretty close to the first one. There’s roughly the same amount of gameplay.

PGC Jonathan: Are there locations that you can explore other than planet Aether? Is there any other way that you have incorporated Samus’s identity as a bounty hunter into the story or the gameplay than has been done in past games?

Tanabe: Aether is our location. This game’s not going anywhere else. I really didn’t focus on Samus’s identity as a bounty hunter anymore than we have in other games. She’s a hired gun; she comes here for a reason. If you’re looking for more of the kind of bounty hunter aspect, you’d want to look at Metroid Prime: Hunters on the DS.

PGC Jonathan: Are you involved with that game?

Tanabe: Yes.

PGC Jonathan: Well, that’s another interview.

IGN Matt: Hmm. Yeah, that is another interview. Who’s developing the DS version?

Tanabe: We’re not sure we’re supposed to—It’s not Retro. It obviously has some Retro assets, but I’m not sure if we’re supposed to— If Mr. Iwata says, “OK,” then I can tell you.

Special thanks again to Mr. Tanabe and Mr. O’Leary for their time.    

[Hear when the crowd first realized they were looking at Zelda, and everyone's new best friend: Reggie.]

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TalkBack / Audio from the Nintendo Press Conference

« on: May 13, 2004, 10:34:39 PM »

Hear when the crowd first realized they were looking at Zelda, and everyone's new best friend: Reggie.

We have audio available of the full Nintendo Press Conference.  Reggie, Iwata, the DS, Zelda's unveiling, and Miyamoto:  

Nintendo Press Conference (6.93 MB)

[Nintendo gives pricing and song list details for North America.]

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TalkBack / More Donkey Konga Details

« on: May 13, 2004, 11:36:51 AM »

Nintendo gives pricing and song list details for North America.

At E3 today, a Nintendo representative gave us some very good news on Donkey Konga.  First of all, the game is set to launch on September 27th at the surprisingly low price of $49.99, including the Konga controller.  We had all assumed the controller would drive the price up to $60 or $70, but at the standard retail price, Nintendo is practically giving the Konga controller away.

As for buying extra Konga controllers, they’re only $29.99 (about the price of a regular GC controller).  Since other specialty controllers can run up to $80, this is again good news, and will allow more people to enjoy the four-player mode, which Nintendo is saying is the best way to play.

On top of this, the Nintendo representative stated that they’re taking a wait-and-see approach to the possibility of an expansion disc, but the US version will have just as many songs as both Japanese discs combined.  The song list we detailed on Tuesday, is likely still incomplete.  On the down-side, he did note that the pop songs featured in the US version won’t be performed by the original artists. Since some of the songs in the Japanese version are the same way, this isn’t surprising, but may come as a disappointment for some.

[I think this is the last release on Mega Man games, but there are still impressions to come...]

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TalkBack / Mega Mega Mega

« on: May 12, 2004, 11:28:10 PM »

I think this is the last release on Mega Man games, but there are still impressions to come...

THE BLUE BOMBER TAKES IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL IN MEGA MAN X COMMAND MISSION™ FOR THE PLAYSTATION2 COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND NINTENDO GAMECUBE™

    E3, LOS ANGELES May 12, 2004 — Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today presented Mega Man X Command Mission™ for the Nintendo GameCube™ and PlayStation2 computer entertainment system   Mega Man X Command Mission takes the blue bomber series in a whole new direction by introducing it to the role playing game (RPG) genre. The game produces an exciting new title set within the Mega Man X universe.  With fundamental Mega Man characteristics, cel-shaded characters and true 3-D stylized environments, Mega Man X Command Mission is sure to please fans and gamers new to the franchise. Mega Man X Command Mission is scheduled for release throughout North America this summer 2004.  The Mega Man franchise, celebrating more than 15 years of entertaining kids of all ages, has sold over 20 million units worldwide.

In Mega Man X Command Mission, Mega Man must infiltrate Giga City Island to thwart the evil plans of the Liberion Army who have initiated a riot.  By choosing from a selection of seven different playable characters, gamers construct a three-member attack force using Mega Man, Zero, Axl, or characters new to the Mega Man universe, to help bring peace to the region once and for all.  It is up to gamers to create a dream team of Mega Man’s allies and reploid robot friends to stop the destructive battle that has begun to wage itself on Giga City Island.  

Mega Man X Command Mission will have new and exciting features that make this RPG play like a true action game; including a revolutionary "Cross Order System" that allows flawless execution of special and finishing attack moves on enemies.  There are plenty of ways to do battle: 1) “Party Hookup” where a character’s main and sub-weapon can be used simultaneously; 2) “Action Trigger,” which allows players to control their characters in real time, and 3) “Hyper Mode” which kicks into gear when the action starts to get a little too close for comfort. Pull off linked main and sub-weapon attacks to perform a super-powerful “Final Strike” finishing move. Additionally, by using a super energy metal called “Force Metal,” players can upgrade weapons, abilities, and attack moves, greatly improving their character’s capabilities.

Mega Man X Command Missions includes the following features:

•   The first RPG in the Mega Man X universe – Mega Man X Command Mission features role playing game (RPG) style combat and action elements to create a unique blue bomber experience.

•   An all-star cast – Mega Man will not be alone in his fight. Joining him will be Axl and Zero, as well as a cast of  four characters new to the Mega Man Universe.  

•   New heroes join the Mega Man series, each with their own unique ability or weapon:
o   Cinnamon  has healing abilities
o   Marino specializes in ninja tactics
o   Masimo wields an ax
o   Spider carries playing cards

•   “Cross Order System” – This new system interface displays the turn order and health. With a little luck, gamers can steal the enemy’s energy and finish them off with a deadly “final strike” attack combo.

•   “Force Metal System” – One of the most important aspects of this game is developing your characters. By using a super energy metal called “Force Metal,” you can upgrade your weapons, abilities, and attack moves, greatly improving your character’s capabilities.  

[Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon and Red Sun are coming out too with some new battle systems and separate stories.]

433

TalkBack / More Battle Network Coming

« on: May 12, 2004, 11:15:53 PM »

Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon and Red Sun are coming out too with some new battle systems and separate stories.

CAPCOM® PRESENTS MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK  4 RED SUN AND BLUE MOON FOR THE GAME BOY® ADVANCE

E3, LOS ANGELES  May 12, 2004 — Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today showcased Mega Man Battle Network  4 in two versions- Red Sun and Blue Moon for the Game Boy® Advance video game system.  Each version presents many challenges for players as they encounter different enemies, battle chips, souls and characters.  A Game Link® Cable can be used for competitive gameplay and battle chip exchanges.  Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun and Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon are set to release this summer throughout North America.  

The Battle Network series features a school boy named Lan and his friend, Mega Man.EXE in their adventures to rid the net of viruses and other cyber world enemies.  Players experience varied environments as they traverse the real world with Lan and navigate the virtual realm with Mega Man in action packed battles.  

Unlike previous games in the Battle Network series, the main focus of Mega Man Battle Network 4 is a tournament system where players will encounter a variety of cyber enemies that must be defeated.  A new “Soul Unison” system is introduced for these two games.  During the game, some of the souls of those which have fought with Mega Man will “synch up” with his during battle.  When this happens, Mega Man will be able to transform and use the special abilities of these souls during battle.

Players must be careful though, as there are forces of good and evil pulling at them throughout the game.  In contrast to the “Soul Unison” system, there is a “Dark Soul” system in place.  At times when Mega Man is in a pinch, a powerful and attractive “Dark Chip” will appear to tempt him.  The more times these chips are used, Mega Man’s Net-Navi will become more affected by evil and consequences will occur, including the inability to perform vital “Soul Unisons.”    

Mega Man Battle Network 4 includes the following features:

•   Tournament style gameplay – The battle structure is based on lots that are drawn to determine who will challenge who, resulting in an endless combination of battles for expanded replay; Fight to win each game’s respective final tournaments- Red Sun and Blue Moon

•   “Soul Unison” system – Allows players to utilize special abilities from opponents’ souls encountered in the tournaments

•   “Dark Soul” system – Powerful, tempting chips that must be used sparingly, if at all, otherwise Mega Man will be lost to the dark side

•   Navi Customizer system – Allows players to customize Mega Man’s abilities by assembling program parts in a memory map; Players must take care to follow rules and keep parts compatible, otherwise it will hamper progress

•   Game Link® Cable compatible
o   Trade programs and chips
o   Compare records and have Net battles with your friends
o   Connect Red Sun to Blue Moon to trade Navis for expanded storylines
o   Players of Red Sun can battle against those with Blue Moon and vice versa
o   Collect Navis from your friends and host your own free tournament

•   Distinct features for Red Sun and Blue Moon
o   Separate storylines in each game
o   6 souls per game, for a total of 12 souls, that can be used in the “Soul Unison” system
o   Assorted battle chips for each version
o   Enemies that are unique to each title
o   Variable strategies for winning - With unique tools available and different enemies players face in each game, the strategy for mastering them will change

434

TalkBack / Full Nintendo Press Conference Recap

« on: May 11, 2004, 11:12:49 PM »

  Didn't go to the press conference? We've got a detailed report of what went down. It's as if you were there yourself... Updated with quotes from Miyamoto.

For this year's media briefing, Nintendo once again chose the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland above the Kodak Theatre to spill the beans on their E3 plans. It was standing room only as Nintendo waited for attendees to arrive from Sony's press event held earlier in the day, and once everyone took their seats, the show got underway.

Nintendo's VP of Sales and Marketing, Reggie Fils-Aime (he told us to call him Reggie) came out and greeted everyone in the usual Nintendo fashion. After that, the first burst of game video was shown, which included Baten Kaitos, Metroid Prime 2, Killer 7, Star Fox, Resident Evil 4, and others, with the included tagline, "We makes games that make games worth playing." This got the crowd going, and Reggie then started explaining what Nintendo's plan for success would be this year.

"Nintendo isn't your only choice for playing games," he said, recognizing that Nintendo is aware of the competition. "We aren't going to run our company just for hardcore gamers," stating that everyone in attendance this afternoon were in that category. He stressed the fact that Nintendo must make games for everyone who wishes to play them, even though it might not be in the hardcore gamers' best interest.

After finishing up that point, Reggie began to make some interesting comments about the competition. Namely, Sony wants you to use all of their products for the "total entertainment package," and Microsoft will let you "do anything you want, as long as you're doing it on their operating system." These remarks got a nice reaction from the audience. "We're all about the game," said Reggie, as he pounded home the fact that that's the business Nintendo is in, and will always be in.

Next up was George Harrison, Nintendo's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications. His job in years past was to open the show, but this year, he thankfully stuck to just running through all the numbers of how well Nintendo had done in the past year. He explained that Nintendo was the driving force behind the growth of the industry, as only the GameCube had better sales numbers compared to the year before for all systems.

Up until the $99 price drop, Harrison said that everyone who has already purchased a GC have been the early adopter/hardcore type. Nintendo's goal for the back half of this console generation is to try to get system and the over 400 games soon available for it into the hands of people that are looking for "entertainment, familiarity and value" in a game system. To date, 38 million total systems (GC, Xbox and PS2) have been sold in North America. Because of the GameCube's $99 price point, the "Nintendo Value Advantage" is looking to get GameCube consoles into the homes of the other 20 million more people who will be purchasing a game system before the next generation rolls around.

Harrison then began to talk about the Game Boy Advance's standing. The GBA is quite clearly the most dominate game system on the planet, which no one needs to tell you (though he did anyway). The meaty info concerning the GBA is that there have been over two million retail orders for the GBA Video cartridges, the wireless link cable system that will be included with Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green will also support over a dozen games soon to be released, and that one-third of Game Boy Advance owners are over the age of 18, mostly thanks in part to the GBA SP.

More importantly, however, Harrison made some very direct comparisons to the PSP, and other handheld competition to Nintendo. Nintendo does admit that the Sony PSP will definitely have some initial appeal, and there's no getting around that. However, while some people believe that the PSP will quickly outsell the GBA, Harrison points out that they should be look at the fact that not even the PS2 is outpacing the GBA, let alone the new Sony portable. Since the Game Boy Advance was launched, it has outsold the PS2 by about four million units. Even the GBA SP has been outselling the PS2 since it has launched. Harrison claimed that no matter how well Sony or Nokia designs their hardware, unless they truly have a killer app, there won't be a chance they can compete with Nintendo.

After George left the stage, Nintendo rolled out another video reel, this time with more GameCube games such as Paper Mario 2, Pikmin 2, Advance Wars: Under Fire (which got some oohs and aahs from the crowd), Rainbow Six 3 and more. Reggie came back out onto the stage, and everyone in attendance was anticipating the Nintendo DS unveiling, and that's exactly what they got.

From the inside jacket pocket of his coat, Reggie pulled out a silver, checkbook-sized device, unfolded it, and introduced the Nintendo DS to the world. Flashes from cameras went off like crazy as the media got pictures, and as soon as the crowd settled down, Reggie explained a few things about the system, namely, what the "DS" stood for (other than the obvious). Nintendo feels that the DS is truly a "developer's system," bringing something new and "different" to the game industry. A few video clips of some heavy-hitting developers commenting on what the system might hold in store was shown, with names from Majesco up to EA and Square-Enix talking about what it means to the future of gaming.

That was all well and good, but once the details of the actual hardware was discussed, things really took off. One of the first features described about the DS was that it will indeed be backwards compatible with all Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games. In fact, Nintendo had to put in two media slots to accommodate this feature: one for the GBA games, the other for DS games. The touch screen (singular) that the system will have will apparently play a major role for most games, from typing in words via an on-screen keyboard, to drawing pictures, or even using it to shoot enemies in... well, we'll get to that one in a moment. The screen can be used with a stylus or your own fingers. The built-in microphone the unit comes with will also be used in many ways, one of which could be for using voice commands in games.

As Reggie was pointing out these features, one of the video screens on the wall was showing the DS playing a video of some sort. On one screen, you could see Mario, Wario, Peach and Yoshi flying around the castle in Mario 64, with the other screen showing a sort of radar. At first the crowd didn't know what to think of it, thinking that it was merely a video or quick hardware demonstration of some sort. However, as Reggie pointed out that we would be playing games like this on the show floor tomorrow, the video reel changed from Mario to Metroid. The audience was stunned and let out large gasp, because the graphics looked damn near close to the same Metroid on the GameCube. Quite literally, no one could believe what they were seeing. Samus was shooting up what appeared to be another Samus, with 3D graphics that appear to be a midpoint between those on the N64 and GameCube. Firing was done with touching the screen in the area you want to fire upon, which will lock the targeting reticule on something. With everyone still in a state of shock, it was said that the DS could be programmed for both 2D and 3D gaming, which was quite obvious, since Samus on the bottom screen was in 3D, with the map of the room she was currently in, in 2D.

After that portion of the DS presentation was wrapped up (with the crowd still in shock), the other big DS feature that had been known prior to the show, the mysterious wireless feature, was fully revealed, and it turns out this was a bigger surprise then anyone had anticipated. For one, the DS will have a proprietary wireless setup that can connect up to 16 Nintendo DS systems to each other within 100 foot radius. Even more impressive than this, if your DS is in sleep mode while another DS comes into your range, your unit will "wake up" letting you know, asking you if you'd like to play with this other unit. The crowd got a kick out of this feature, for sure, but then Nintendo dropped a term that will be sure to have the people at Sony shaking in their boots: Wi-Fi. Yes, the DS will apparently be Wi-Fi enabled as well. While Nintendo really didn't give any specific details about how this feature will be used, Reggie did say something about a friend being in a different time zone. Could this mean DS play over the internet? We won't know for sure until we get more info, but he did leave this segment with a rather corny line: "It's beyond online, it's no line."

After another developer video, commenting on how these new features might be used in games, a release date and caveat was issued. Nintendo is planning on releasing the Nintendo DS before the end of 2004 in Japan and North America, with Europe and Australia not far behind in the first quarter of 2005. Also, while the system is currently being referred to as the Nintendo DS, it will most likely be renamed to something else when it's finally released to retail. No price point for the system was given, but as you'd expect, Nintendo promised that it would be "affordable."

Nintendo's President, Satoru Iwata finally made his appearance, and began talking about how the DS was "different" than anything else on the market today. He explained that with how consoles are now, what systems can do with graphics now have pretty much reached their limit. Unless someone does something different, there won't be any hope for growth in the industry. This is when he touched upon Nintendo's next console. It's in development as we speak, claims Iwata. Much like the Nintendo DS, he promises that the new home console will also be "different;" so much so, that Nintendo is promising a "gaming revolution" whenever the system is finally launched. Iwata then asked if the audience wanted to know the technical specifications of the thing, but he stopped himself, stating that, since all hardware is insanely powerful as it is, the specs don't matter. "The time for horsepower is over," the president said.

One "final" game burst was shown, with a lot of the third party games that will be coming out for the GameCube (including a lot of EA Sports 2005 games), but then as everyone was about to leave, a question was asked by those in the crowd. Where's Miyamoto? Well, one more video was shown, and it turns out that this one absolutely floored the attendees.

The Legend of Zelda.

Nope, it wasn't Wind Waker 2 Zelda. This was the Zelda that a lot of people feel we should have had after that infamous Space World 2000 video of Link fighting Ganon was shown. But this was a hundred times more amazing then that. Dozens of baddies were riding to the camera from the sunset, and a horse comes to meet them. We find out that that horse is Epona, and the one that's riding her is none other than the Hero of Time. You know what he looks like in Soul Calibur II? Make him look ten times more bad-ass, and you might have some idea of what he looks like now. He was hitting people off of horses with his sword, he was jump attacking archers, he was fighting a giant fire beast... words can simply not explain how impossibly amazing this video was. At the end, you could see Link in all his "mature" glory, sheathing his sword, and seeing the Zelda logo flash across the screen.

Because everyone in attendance was so transfixed on the video screens, absolutely no one noticed Shigeru Miyamoto getting on stage. Once the lights were raised and Shiggy appeared, the crowd exploded with cheers. Once they realized that he was holding a bona-fide Hyrulian Shield and Master Sword, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Miyamoto gave a brief speech: "The Legend of Zelda never stops changing, and this game is not different. We are now taking you to a world where Link has grown up. A world where he will act different and look different. In order to grow, Link must not stand still, and neither can I." After he thanked the crowd, he demonstrated some of his swordplay, then went off the stage about as quickly as he came on. After that, Reggie thanked everyone for attending, and the press conference finished up with yet another round of applause.

Truthfully, no one expected much out of this press conference. Yes, the Nintendo DS was going to be shown, but absolutely no one expected the features or the graphics that Nintendo showed everyone this afternoon. Even after everyone was in shock over the DS, Nintendo just leveled everyone when they showed off the new Zelda GameCube game. To put it bluntly, Nintendo literally wiped out any doubt anyone had coming into the press conference, because every single face leaving the ballroom had a smile on it, and some eyes had a few tears in them.

Planet GameCube will have full coverage of all GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS titles found at the press conference, and all the rest that weren't. Stay with us all week and beyond as we strive to bring you the best Nintendo E3 coverage on the planet!

Reported by: Steven Rodriguez  

[We've got the full list of Donkey Konga tunes currently on display.]

435

TalkBack / Donkey Konga US Song List

« on: May 11, 2004, 08:04:49 PM »

We've got the full list of Donkey Konga tunes currently on display.

We just got access to a full list of tracks from the US version of Donkey Konga.  We apologize for not having more complete artist info, but you should recognize a good number of these:

Diddy's Ditzies
Bingo
Campfire Medley
Pokemon Theme
Kirby Right Back at Ya
We Will Rock You
Like Wow
Wild Thing
I think I Love You
Louie Louie
The Locomotion
Shining Star
All the Small Things
Rock This Town
You Can't Hurry Love
Right Here Right Now
Dancing in The Street
Rock Lobster
Stupid Cupid
The Impression That I Get
What I like About You
Whip It
Busy Child
Para los Romberos
Sing Sing Sing with a Swing
Oye Como Va
On the Road Again
Hungarian Dance #5 in G MInor
Turkish March
DK Rap
The Legend of Zelda Theme
Mario Bros Theme
Donkey Konga Theme

[Robot battling action lands on US shores next week.]

436

TalkBack / Custom Robo Hits Stores Monday

« on: May 08, 2004, 09:48:44 AM »

Robot battling action lands on US shores next week.

DID YOU KNOW? - 'CUSTOM ROBO' HITS STORES ON MAY 10

May 7, 2004 -- Set your strategy, build your robot and challenge your friends to the ultimate robot battle. Custom Robo™ lets you and up to three friends create your own customized robots from nearly 200 unique parts and then turns you loose in a virtual arena to find out who is made of steel and who is just a bucket of bolts.

Custom Robo is set in the not-so-distant future, where mankind solves conflicts by battling customized robots on virtual battlefields known as holosseums. In the "arcade" and "versus" modes, players will choose robots, check out information on opponents and holosseums, then customize their robots from specialized parts to maximize their chances of winning.

Mix and match body types such as homing pods and feather legs to come up with the ultimate winning machine. Battle modes are varied, too. Players can have one-on-one or two-on-two competitions, team up for Tag-Team Battles and one-on-two brawls, or pull out all the stops in three- or four-player Battle Royal.

Do you have the mettle to test your opponents' metal? Enter the holosseum when Custom Robo, only for Nintendo GameCube™, hits stores on May 10, 2004, at an MRSP of $39.99. Additional titles for Nintendo GameCube will be showcased in the Nintendo booth at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo E3 in Los Angeles, May 12 to 14, 2004.

[Supposedly they picked him because of the focus on defensive innovations in this year's game.]

437

TalkBack / Ray Lewis Chosen for Madden 2005 Cover

« on: May 07, 2004, 06:31:31 AM »

Supposedly they picked him because of the focus on defensive innovations in this year's game.

ALL-PRO LINEBACKER RAY LEWIS TACKLES MADDEN NFL 2005 COVER FROM EA SPORTS

 

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. –  May 7, 2004— Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced that Ray Lewis, the All-Pro linebacker from the Baltimore Ravens and the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, has been selected to be the EA SPORTS™ cover athlete and spokesman for Madden NFL 2005. Reflecting the game’s focus on defensive innovations this year, Lewis is the perfect representative for the cover of the best-selling football videogame franchise. Last year Madden NFL 2004 sold more than five million copies.

 

“I have always enjoyed working with EA SPORTS, but to be on the cover of Madden NFL 2005 is the ultimate honor,” said Lewis. “With the focus on defense in the game this year, I knew it was my chance to represent the most popular sports game ever made. Madden NFL Football is the game I have always played, and I am excited to be part of the family now.” Lewis’ image will appear on all Madden NFL 2005 packaging and merchandising.

 

Lewis is one of the game's best all-around players. He finished the 2003 season with a franchise-record 125 tackles and earned AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second time (the first in 2000), becoming just the sixth player in NFL history to win multiple times. This past February he played in his sixth Pro Bowl in just eight years. In 2000 Lewis was only the second player in NFL history to win both the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP (for Super Bowl XXXV).

 

In its 15th year and nearly 37 million copies sold, Madden NFL Football continues to stand out as the most popular football videogame franchise of all time with a combination of innovative new features and the most authentic football gameplay. Madden NFL Football is currently displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame—the only videogame to receive this honor. Madden NFL 2005, developed by EA-Tiburon, is slated to ship in August on all platforms. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

 

EA SPORTS is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world. Its top-selling titles and franchises include Madden NFL Football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, MVP Baseball™, NCAA® Football, and NASCAR® racing. The EA SPORTS home page is www.easports.com.

438

Nintendo Gaming / OFFICIAL Online Mouse_Clicker vs the world thread

« on: May 05, 2004, 10:14:33 PM »

Here mouse_clicker can debate against everyone about online gaming.  If I see this discussion start up anywhere else, I'm just going to delete the messages.  I won't even give you the courtesy of  having a locked post that people can still read.  

If people want to argue they can, and if they want to ignore this thread, they can.  At least, they won't have to see the same tired conversation pop up over and over where it doesn't belong.

[Well, so far it looks like all we get is Kingdom Hearts for GBA.]

439

TalkBack / Square-Enix Announces E3 Line Up

« on: May 04, 2004, 06:55:13 PM »

Well, so far it looks like all we get is Kingdom Hearts for GBA.

SQUARE ENIX U.S.A., INC. TO UNVEIL MULTI-FACETED LINE-UP AT THE ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT EXPO, MAY 12 – 14

New Titles Highlight Company’s Objective of Versatile and Portable Entertainment in All Categories

LOS ANGELES, Calif., (May 3, 2004) - Square Enix U.S.A., Inc. (“Square Enix U.S.A.”), publisher of Square Enix™ interactive products in North America, today announced its Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) line-up of new video game releases for multiple gaming platforms as well as other forms of entertainment. All of the titles will be on display at the Square Enix U.S.A. booth (#624) in the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

“The products we are showcasing at this year’s E3 will exemplify some new and interesting directions for SQUARE ENIX,” said Jun Iwasaki, president and C.E.O. of Square Enix U.S.A. “A variety of games will be available for demos, and we’re very excited about some surprises we have in our line-up. Not only are we exploring different types of RPGs, we’re also looking to build upon some of our original content, our most popular franchises, and applying them into other forms of media. The future of entertainment will encompass more than presenting content in a singular format such as in a movie, videogame or comic book; the new entertainment experience will cross platforms and media.”

Console Games

FRONT MISSION® 4
FRONT MISSION 4 marks the debut of the popular mech-based strategy game series on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Utilizing the technological capabilities of the system, FRONT MISSION 4 brings you the newest chapter in the best-selling series. While boasting an enhanced battle system, outstanding new graphics and dramatic voiceovers, FRONT MISSION 4 maintains the strategic gameplay that has won acclaim from both gamers and press worldwide. As in the previous games, players can fully customize their wanzers, or mech units, with a variety of powerful weaponry and parts. In addition, new tactical features such as the “Link System” bring a new dimension of strategy to the game.

Set in 2096, FRONT MISSION 4 opens as an unidentified group of wanzers assaults and destroys an E.C. German base. The player’s point of view switches between two main characters that find themselves trapped within a dangerous global conspiracy. Elsa, a new recruit in the E.C.'s Durandal corps, is sent to Germany with her team to investigate the attack. The story then shifts to Darril, a U.C.S. Army sergeant in South America. He and his company are sent to Venezuela after its governor declares independence from the U.C.S. Though Darril's squad seems far more interested in slacking off than fighting a war, their plans for early retirement are put on hold after they witness a fateful plane crash in the jungle.

FRONT MISSION 4 will be released June 15, 2004. This title is rated “T” for Teen. More information about FRONT MISSION 4 can be found on the official game site at www.square-enix-usa.com/games/fm4/.

STAR OCEAN™ Till the End of Time™
The first PlayStation 2 installment in the acclaimed science fiction RPG series, the Director’s Cut version is considered to be the culmination of the developer’s true vision. STAR OCEAN was originally released with two versions in Japan. The development time was extended for the North American release in order to incorporate the extra features of the Director’s Cut, the only stateside release of the title. STAR OCEAN builds on the first-rate concepts of earlier games in the series and leverages the technological capabilities of the PlayStation 2 to surpass them. In addition, the larger data capacity of the Director’s Cut allows for multiple added extras providing the most complete game package possible. Incorporating the new features with gorgeous, extended cinematic sequences and an unparalleled real-time battle system, including a new VS. mode, STAR OCEAN is sure to attract a new group of admirers and thrill the longtime fans of the series.

STAR OCEAN’s protagonist, Fayt Leingod brings his family and childhood friend, Sophia Esteed to the Federation-managed resort planet Hyda for a long-deserved vacation. Their dreamy holiday turns into a nightmare when Hyda is attacked by an unknown space military. In the heat of the attack, Fayt is separated from Sophia and his family and begins an emotional quest into the unknown to find his loved ones.

STAR OCEAN will be released August 2004. This title is rated “T” for Teen.

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST™ and the Broken Angel
Square Enix U.S.A. is proud to bring the action-adventure RPG Fullmetal Alchemist to the PlayStation 2 in Spring 2005. Developed by Racjin, Fullmetal Alchemist is the story of two brothers, trained in the ways of alchemy, who find themselves on the adventure of their lives as they seek the mysterious Philosopher’s Stone.

The story begins as Edward and Alphonse Elric hop a train to the capital city of Central. But an impromptu hijacking forces them into an all-out brawl against a rebel military faction. Fortunately, Edward has more than a few tricks up his sleeve with a variety of alchemy skills; he can transmute everyday objects into powerful weapons. After the hijackers are defeated, a shocking new twist is revealed, sending the brothers’ path askew and leading them to their wildest quest yet...

Fullmetal Alchemist is scheduled for release in Spring 2005 and will carry an ESRB rating of “T” for Teen.

FINAL FANTASY® XII
Our story takes place in a world called “Ivalice,” in an age when magic was commonplace and airships plied the skies – the Archadian Empire, seeking to strengthen its base of power, had been invading and subjugating its neighboring lands one by one—a fate which befell the small Kingdom of Dalmasca. Archadia’s invasion and the subsequent death of the Dalmascan king prompted the Princess Ashe, the sole surviving heir to the Dalmascan throne, to take up arms against the invaders.

In her struggle to oust the occupying Archadian forces and restore freedom to her people, Ashe must watch as many of her allies pay the blood price for that freedom. Though tempted to abandon all hope in the face of the Empire’s might, her determination keeps her from succumbing before what would seem to be inevitable defeat. Then she meets Vaan, an urchin from the Dalmascan capital of Rabanastre. Vaan dreams of one day becoming a sky pirate, escaping the Empire on his airship. Vaan, Ashe, Vaan’s friend Penelo, the sky pirate Balthier, his partner Fran and many more are on an adventure through Ivalice that traces the mysteries behind the Archadian Empire’s invasion.

Bringing with it a wide array of new gameplay elements, FINAL FANTASY XII will change the way players think about the FINAL FANTASY series. Numerous possibilities abound within each scenario, allowing for a less linear, more unique experience for each player. The game also supports Dolby Pro Logic II both in-game and during movie sequences, immersing the player in the middle of the action. True to the series’ tradition of progress and change, FINAL FANTASY XII will move the role-playing genre forward and establish itself as another landmark title for SQUARE ENIX.

FINAL FANTASY XII is scheduled for release in North America in 2005. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

KINGDOM HEARTS® II
It has been a year since the events of KINGDOM HEARTS. Sora and friends are joined by a vibrant new cast of characters, including the king himself. Together, they will face countless dangers in worlds both familiar and brand-new. It seems the Heartless still exist. A new villain also awaits – but is it an old foe behind the mask, or a new menace? This mystery and others will be solved as the story unfolds in a grand adventure. KINGDOM HEARTS has sold over 4 million units worldwide and continues to gain popularity with fans of both DISNEY and SQUARE ENIX across the planet.

KINGDOM HEARTS captured the imagination of gamers young and old by combining classic DISNEY properties and implementing new characters and worlds with SQUARE ENIX’s renowned style. The tale is brought to life by an all-star voice cast. Fans will revisit this beloved story and come to care for a new troupe of characters in KINGDOM HEARTS II.

The release date for KINGDOM HEARTS II will be announced at a later date. This title has yet to be rated by the ESRB.

Handheld
For Game Boy® Advance

KINGDOM HEARTS® CHAIN OF MEMORIES
KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES for the Game Boy Advance bridges the gap between KINGDOM HEARTS and KINGDOM HEARTS II, continuing Sora’s tale where the original left off. One night, after traversing endless grassy fields, Sora comes to a crossroads. His mind swims as he recalls his lost friends. They were supposed to return home at journey’s end…but this was not to be. A man emerges from the shadows and speaks to Sora: “Ahead lies what you seek…but to claim it you must lose something dear.” When the man vanishes, only a single path remains. At the end of that path lies a castle, and inside that castle stretches a vast nothingness. Sora’s memories lay fragmented before him, swirling and spiraling upwards to a great adventure. What will Sora gain, and what will he lose?

By implementing elements never before seen on the Game Boy Advance, KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES promises to deliver an unsurpassed gaming experience to players. New features include high-quality movie event sequences and a card-based battle system. As the latest collaboration between DISNEY and SQUARE ENIX, KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES for the Game Boy Advance will continue to expand the series’ fan base and appeal to gamers of all types.

KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES is scheduled for release Fall 2004. This title has yet to be rated by the ESRB.

Online

FINAL FANTASY® XI Chains of Promathia™ (Expansion Pack)
New areas such as Movalpolos and the Tavnazian Archipelago will be available through the expansion titled “Chains of Promathia.” This expansion pack continues the adventure in award-winning FINAL FANTASY XI, the first cross-platform, cross-continent MMORPG. The first online title in the world-renowned series has quickly become one of most popular MMORPG to date, boasting a community of 500,000 players and 1.2 million active characters from Japan and North America combined.

The subterranean city of Movalpolos was dug and built by a tribe of Goblins referred to as the Moblins. Due to the nomadic nature of most Goblins, it is extremely rare for any of these beastmen to reside together in one place, making this community extremely unique.

The Tavnazian Archipelago is made up of tiny islands off the west coast of Quon, once home to the proud nation of Tavnazia. The remnants of the beastmen army remain in control of the archipelago, and until now, it was thought that none of the former inhabitants had survived.

FINAL FANTASY XI Chains of Promathia is scheduled for release Fall 2004. This expansion has yet to be rated by the ESRB.

Other Entertainment

FINAL FANTASY® VII ADVENT CHILDREN™
Two years after the events of FINAL FANTASY VII, the ruins of Midgar stand as testament to the sacrifices that were made in order to bring peace. However, the world will soon face a new menace. A mysterious illness is spreading fast. Old enemies are astir. And Cloud, who walked away from the life of a hero to live in solitude, must step forward yet again...

FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN is a fully developed, CG-work sequel to FINAL FANTASY VII, the seminal 1997 PlayStation hit. Through approximately 60 minutes of beautifully crafted DVD content, FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN revisits the rich universe and memorable characters of FINAL FANTASY VII two years after its dramatic conclusion. Technological advancements bring a visually stunning new look to the city of Midgar and its residents.

FINAL FANTASY VII, originally released in Japan for the PlayStation console on January 31, 1997 (September 7, 1997 in North America), redefined the standard for role-playing games (RPGs) and has since achieved record-shattering sales of over 9 million units worldwide. Fans have long requested a true sequel, and with FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN, their wishes are granted.

The release date for FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN will be announced at a later date.

Mobile Entertainment Content
SQUARE ENIX MOBILE brings the same level of technological and visual excellence that gamers have come to expect from SQUARE ENIX products to handsets and other mobile platforms. SQUARE ENIX hopes to shape the future of mobile entertainment as the company addresses a growing and international wireless audience in Japan, the United States, Europe, China and Taiwan.

SQUARE ENIX’s mobile phone content has already enjoyed widespread popularity in Japan. Released in March 2004 in Japan, FINAL FANTASY® and DRAGON QUEST for NTT DoCoMo’s new 3G phones (the 900i series) will be available for demonstration at the SQUARE ENIX booth. These titles are heavily featured in the 900i marketing campaign and come preinstalled on some handsets. Other mobile content available for demonstration include a 3D modeling sample of Cloud (main character, FINAL FANTASY VII), SQUARE ENIX Gallery (a collection of downloadable wallpapers available through AT&T Wireless’ mMode™ service) and Brave Shot™, a fast-paced shooting game available through the Verizon Wireless Get it NowSM service.

Visitors at the SQUARE ENIX booth will be in for a surprise to see the latest development from SQUARE ENIX MOBILE: BEFORE CRISIS – FINAL FANTASY VII. The trailer will be premiering at E3, providing an exclusive look at a game that could possibly take mobile entertainment to a whole new level.

[Tales of Symphonia and Baten Kaitos on display in English next week. Expected, but it still rocks.]

440

TalkBack / Namco's E3 Line Up

« on: May 04, 2004, 05:05:57 PM »

Tales of Symphonia and Baten Kaitos on display in English next week.  Expected, but it still rocks.

Namco Reveals Powerhouse New Games Line Up for 2004 E3Expo

Marquis Franchises, New Original Content and a Few Surprises Headline Namco's Stellar Line Up at the 2004 E3Expo

SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 4, 2004 - Namco Hometek Inc. unveiled today its strongest new games line up to date, to be showcased at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, May 12-14, 2004 (booth #1300, L.A. Convention Center).

New installments of Namco's best-selling franchises will make their debut at the show, including ACE COMBAT® 5, TEKKEN® 5, Xenosaga® EPISODE II, Dead to Rights® II, TIME CRISIS®: CRISIS ZONE, Tales of SymphoniaTM and Smash Court TennisTM Pro Tournament 2.

Namco will also showcase new original content including Street Racing SyndicateTM, DEATH BY DEGREESTM featuring Nina Williams from TEKKEN®, GhosthunterTM, Baten KaitosTM, The Adversary, and Taiko Drum MasterTM (tentative title).

"Namco is showcasing its most impressive line up of new content ever at this year's E3Expo," said Robert Ennis, chief financial and operating officer for Namco Hometek Inc. "We have taken our core franchises to exciting new levels and are introducing some incredible new content with our biggest showing ever at E3. We think convention goers will really take notice of Namco's significant presence this year at the show."

Elevating to new heights in 2004 is ACE COMBAT 5. Introducing Wingman Command, ACE COMBAT 5 is the premier air combat game combining ultra-realistic graphics and dog fighting with the sheer excitement of soaring through the air, destroying enemy planes and ground targets. Players experience the thrill of commanding a squadron, knowing that the squadron's fate is in their hands. The game features over 50 different licensed planes and an intense storyline with over 30 missions, providing hours of non-stop flying action - making ACE COMBAT 5 bigger and better than ever before! Shipping in Fall 2004, ACE COMBAT 5 will be available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

Nights are filled with high-risk, nitrous-injected, illegal racing on real city streets in Namco's Street Racing Syndicate. With money, pink slips and respect always on the line, and cops lurking behind every corner, SRS is taking street racing games to a new level. Players can customize over 40 licensed cars with authentic parts, cool paint, and anything else bought or won from sanctioned or illegal races. Race in both closed track and open city environments, meet at secret locations or pull up on opponents on the open streets. And for the first time ever, throw down with real-life opponents all over the world via online pink slip races. From hot cars with lifelike physics and damage, to beautiful models picked from the pages of today's top import magazines, SRS delivers the most intense, complete street racing experience ever in a video game. Shipping in Autumn 2004, SRS will be available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft, and the Nintendo GameCubeTM.

Dead to Rights II marks the return of action-hero Jack Slate and his K-9 companion, Shadow. In this super-charged sequel, Jack and Shadow find themselves once again in the mean streets of Grant City, ensnared in a labyrinth of crime, corruption and betrayal. Dead to Rights II is a third-person action shooter featuring gritty, Hong Kong cinema-style action and innovating new gameplay mechanics such as greater interaction with Shadow; brutal, all-new disarm moves; a lightning-fast 360 degree fighting engine; vicious melee weapon battles; and a dramatic new spherical slow-motion diving system. Shipping in Fall 2004, Dead to Rights II will be available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox video system from Microsoft.

TEKKEN's ultimate assassin, Nina Williams, stars in DEATH BY DEGREES as the voluptuous undercover operative sent to recover a stolen weapon from a disgruntled terrorist who double-crossed his own underground organization. Using a cutting-edge combat system to fight enemies in all directions, DEATH BY DEGREES combines signature moves from TEKKEN with firearms and melee weapon attacks. Shipping in Fall 2004, the game will be available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

The epic sequel Xenosaga EPISODE II picks up right where EPISODE I left off. With a new, more realistic looking character art style, players can look forward to improved graphics, an improved battle interface and more outdoor environments (rain, snow, rivers, etc.). Xenosaga EPISODE II will be shipping in early 2005 exclusively for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Tales of SymphoniaTM is the latest installment in Namco's enormously popular Tales franchise. Using characters designed by renowned anime artist Kosuke Fujishima, Tales of Symphonia allows players to command real-time battles in a unique 3D battle system that gives them full control over the characters, executing hundreds of special attacks and magic spells. With more than a dozen mini-games and side quests at the player's disposal, Tales of Symphonia offers over 80 game play hours. The game will ship exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube entertainment system in July 2004.

Ghosthunter blends the action and adventure aspects of a third-person shooter with macabre humor. Players battle vengeful sprits and are equipped with a selection of high-tech weaponry and gadgets specially designed for hunting and capturing ghosts. Diverse cinematic locations set the scene and make the game come to life with eerie versions of familiar sights, including an Alcatraz-style prison and a haunted ship. Ghosthunter will be available in the North American market in August 2004 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Players can enjoy an unprecedented level of interaction with the environment in TIME CRISIS: CRISIS ZONE, the most ambitious new installment of the TIME CRISIS® series to date. Using the GUNCON®2, gunfire has a realistic effect on almost everything in the game: players can blow up items on shelves and tables, shatter glass windows and doors, and destroy beams, statues, and even desktop computers. Players who have two GUNCON®2 guns can select a single- or double-gun game to take down enemies John Woo style, adding a fun and unique element to the game. Shipping in September 2004, TIME CRISIS: CRISIS ZONE will be available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

In Namco's Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2, players can train and compete in actual Grand Slam tournaments. Create and customize players in Pro Tour Mode, then take them through the tennis rankings all the way to the top. Players compete in the Australian Open, Roland Garros (French Open), Wimbledon, and the US Open against such pros as Andy Roddick, James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters, Anna Kournikova, and ten others! Shipping in Summer 2004, the game will be available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Enter Baten Kaitos on a journey to unlock the mystery of the lost sea in an enchanting story of friendship, betrayal, and prayer. Over 1000 types of "Magnus" cards deliver an intense battle system combined with breathtaking graphics and a world overflowing with character detail. Baten Kaitos will be available for the Nintendo GameCube.

Namco will be located in the South Hall in booth #1300 of the Los Angeles Convention Center from Wednesday, May 12 - Friday, May 14, 2004. Throughout the convention show hours, Namco will have various events and contests occurring on-stage in its booth, including martial arts demonstrations, prize giveaways, gaming contests and more.

[O~3 plans to hunt out quality games from small developers and give them the attention they deserve.]

441

TalkBack / Former Capcom USA Execs Open O~3 Entertainment

« on: May 03, 2004, 07:50:49 PM »

O~3 plans to hunt out quality games from small developers and give them the attention they deserve.

GAME PUBLISHER O~3 ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES TO BRING INDEPENDENT DEVELOPER PROJECTS TO MARKET

Former Capcom USA Executives Open Unique Business to Bridge Gap between Development and Retail

April 29, 2004, Santa Clara, CA – Today game industry veteran Bill Gardner revealed the formation of his new publishing and distribution company, O~3 Entertainment. The company intends to bring high caliber independently developed games to a variety of gaming platforms, including PC, Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube and WiFi/mobile through a unique game publishing model.

O~3 Entertainment will seek out titles from small and mid-size developers and will provide complete publishing functions to get them to market – including sales and distribution, marketing and public relations, and more operational elements like replication, warehousing and shipping. O~3 intends to create a reputation for innovative, fun games and make its own brands easily identifiable to consumers and retailers alike.

“There are a lot of high quality games being left on the table because they aren’t the next installment of last year’s licensed blockbuster,” remarked Gardner, CEO and President of the new O~3 Entertainment.  “O~3 Entertainment ’s approach to publishing will lead to more diverse and creative choices for gamers at retail.

O~3 Entertainment has been founded by Gardner and two former Capcom associates, Chris Jelinek, who is the new company’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, and Hanako Watanabe, O~3’s CFO.  Gardner has more than 20 years experience in the consumer business, overseeing more than $250 million in international annual sales.  He was previously responsible for start-up operations of Panasonic in the U.S. and Capcom in Europe.  Together the founding managers of O~3 Entertainment have experience in all areas of video game development, retailing, publishing and distribution.

O~3’s management plans to use their knowledge, key relationships and contacts to provide a new and distinct method for small and medium-sized developers to publish and distribute fresh game content in three easily identifiable brands:  Macaroni Media for children’s educational and entertainment titles, Ankle Biters for “E” and “T” audiences and Total Chaos for more challenging “T” and “M” rated games with intense graphics.

[A new report finds that new handhelds will be successful, but won't be able to overshadow Nintendo's market.]

442

TalkBack / Analysts Predictions on the Handheld Market

« on: April 29, 2004, 07:00:24 AM »

A new report finds that new handhelds will be successful, but won't be able to overshadow Nintendo's market.  

Nintendo's Game Boy to Maintain Dominance in Market it Pioneered

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 28, 2004 - Long the sole territory of Nintendo's Game Boy line, the handheld gaming market has suddenly become crowded with competition, reports In-Stat/MDR (http://www.instat.com). However, the high-tech market research firm finds that, with three new handheld consoles coming to market, Nintendo is not intending to rest on its laurels, offering new product lines and accessories in an effort to maintain its hold on this market. As a result, Nintendo will enjoy continued success in the market segment that it pioneered with both its Game Boy and its new DS platform.

While the Nokia N-Gage, Tapwave Zodiac and Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) focus on gaming, they do offer other features, ranging from digital audio players to Bluetooth capability to mobile phone functionality that make them new types of consumer convergence devices. However, according to Brian O'Rourke, a Senior Analyst with In-Stat/MDR's converging markets and technologies group, "Nintendo is the most successful company in the history of handheld games. While all three of these new platforms have higher prices, and are targeting an older demographic than the incumbent Game Boy platform, none will be able to escape Nintendo's long shadow."

In-Stat/MDR has also found that:

Sony will also be successful in this market as it should be able to draw on its PlayStation experience and substantial software library to succeed in the handheld market. The PSP is scheduled to make its debut in Japan in the fourth quarter of 2004.

Nokia, though it may struggle at times, has initially shown the resources and determination to succeed in this market. Nokia will face substantial challenges in establishing the platform and assuring the availability of sufficient software to entice consumer interest.

A start-up company founded by ex-Palm executives, Tapwave may be the odd man out, as it has difficulty competing with the heavyweights in this market. Tapwave has the most difficult task of the three competitors in establishing its platform. It is currently available only on the web and does not have the deep pockets of its competitors. As a result, it will be challenged in attracting third-party publishers to develop game software, the lifeblood of any game platform.

The report, Emerging Handheld Game Platforms: It's Not Just Game Boy Anymore (#IN0401151ID), includes in-depth analysis and forecasts for the emerging handheld platforms, as well as for Nintendo's platforms. Shipment and revenue forecasts through 2008 are provided for the Nokia N-Gage, Sony PSP, Tapwave Zodiac, Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP, next-generation Nintendo Game Boy, and the Nintendo DS. Analysis of mobile gaming markets are also provided. Results from In-Stat/MDR's technology panel survey on emerging handheld platforms are provided as well.

To purchase this report, or for more information, please contact Courtney McEuen at 281-246-4668; cmceuen@reedbusiness.com. The report price is $2,795 U.S. Dollars.

[Pokemon battles come to GameCube with an all-new story mode.]

443

TalkBack / Pokemon Colosseum Review

« on: April 09, 2004, 09:46:18 AM »

Pokemon battles come to GameCube with an all-new story mode.

Review by Mike Sklens

Nintendo’s been firing on all cylinders with tons of Pokémon releases. Last year came the main series installments of Ruby and Sapphire. In Japan, two new GBA games have been released complete with wireless link. On the GameCube there’s Pokémon Channel and now Pokémon Colosseum.

Colosseum is the evolution of the popular Pokémon Stadium games from the Nintendo 64. The title lets you take your Pokémon captured and raised in the Game Boy Advance game and transfer them over to fight in fantastic stadiums on GameCube. However, unlike the N64 titles, which required a special transfer pak, Colosseum takes advantage of the simpler GameCube-Game Boy Advance link cable.

Pokémon Colosseum has two main modes. First is the standard Colosseum mode. Here players can fight with Pokémon (either their own, transferred from a GBA, or provided ones) against the computer or each other. For single players, there are colosseum battles and the Mt. 100 battle challenge which consists of fighting 100 trainers. Multiple players (up to four) can all jump into a Colosseum battle and fight each other. Sadly, there aren’t any four-way Pokémon brawls. If four players are involved, there will be a two on two fight with each player controlling his or her Pokémon.

Battles between Pokémon look really fantastic. Each of the little critters is modeled in 3D very well. While the dueling monsters never actually touch each other (think of the collision detection nightmares) the camera and attack animations are used in such a way to mask this. Each Pokémon is quite detailed and modeled with a nice number of polygons. Their attacks are all beautifully animated with tons of light and color. Sadly, this much effort was not put into the sound department. Pokémon support their standard GBA “growl” sound effects. Honestly, this is unacceptable. Pokémon fans have seen the television show, and they know that Pokémon scream their names. We’re not on cartridges anymore folks; there is plenty of room for all those Pokémon scream sound effects on a GameCube disc.

What sets Colosseum apart from its previous iterations is the brand new story mode. It offers a brand new, slightly edgier adventure for players. At the start of the story it is learned that the player’s character is an ex-member of the evil “Team Snag-em.” In this region of the world there are no wild Pokémon. So, team Snag-em has developed a way to steal, or “snag,” Pokémon from other trainers in battle. At the start of the game, the player character breaks into Team Snag-em’s base and steals their portable snagging machine. There’s more trouble in this world than Team Snag-em though. An evil organization has launched a plan to turn Pokémon against their masters. They’ve devised a way to “close the door to a Pokémon’s heart” (yes, that’s a direct quote from the game) thus turning them into Shadow Pokémon that will attack people as well as other Pokémon.

The Shadow Pokémon and Snag mechanics are tied together via the story. The lead character meets a girl early on who can detect the auras of Pokémon and see if they are Shadow Pokémon or not. It’s up to the two of them to find all the Shadow Pokémon and snag them to save the world.

Now, for Pokémon, this is quite a story. Players must go from town to town uncovering the mystery of the evil organization and their plans and put a stop to them. All battles in the story mode of Pokémon Colosseum are two on two battles. This changes the strategy compared to the GBA games, where team battles were not very frequent. A few other things are thrown into the mix as well. Shadow Pokémon will sometimes enter “hyper mode” which cranks their emotions to a fever pitch. While in hyper mode they will hit critically more often, but there is also the risk that they will not obey orders. Thankfully, use of the new “Call” command will snap them out of it. Fighting with snagged Shadow Pokémon will gradually “open the door to their heart” and set them free. Until this happens they won’t be able to gain experience.

While it might all sound like quite an advancement for Pokémon, with the expanded story and changed up battle mechanics, it really isn’t. It’s kind of sad really that the Story Mode is nothing more than a fancy dressing on the Colosseum mode. Both consist of a series of fights against trainers. Without the ability to catch wild Pokémon in the story mode, the drive to explore all but vanishes. The snag mechanic tries to make up for this, but it’s just not enough. There’s no journeying between towns either. Travel is accomplished via a map and a quick cinematic. It’s nothing more than trainer battle after trainer battle. Occasionally there is a Shadow Pokémon to snag, but this is the only major gameplay difference between the Story and Colosseum modes.

Pokémon Colosseum is the next step in the Stadium series. It takes everything that was good about the Stadium games and adds more to them. Anybody looking for a way to play with Pokémon on their GameCube will most certainly enjoy this aspect. The story mode is a nice inclusion as well. However, what starts out as a fresh Pokémon experience quickly turns into a boring repetition of trainer battles. Players new to Pokémon and hungry for a story should check out the GBA games first. Veterans looking for a way to increase the life of their Pokémon games will find it with Pokémon Colosseum.

Pros:

Pokémon look great in 3D.

Story mode has a slightly edgier story.

Unlockables

Cons:

Story mode is highly repetitive.

Pokémon screams are ripped from the GBA.

48 blocks to save!? WOAH!

Graphics: 8.0
All the Pokémon are beautifully modeled in 3D. Animations are very bright and colorful, and all of this comes together to make the battle sequences look absolutely fantastic.

Sound: 4.0
The music has all been redone and it’s very good. What sucks is the Pokémon screams. They’re all torn straight from the GBA games.

Control: 10
Everything’s cool here. It’s mostly menu driven, which is pretty hard to screw up.

Gameplay: 6.5
Colosseum mode offers a way to extend the Gameplay of the GBA games. The story mode is a fantastic idea, but is far too shallow and repetitive.

Lastability: 9.0
Pokémon fanatics will no doubt play this game forever. There is quite a lot to do and unlock between the two different modes. The story mode helps in extending the life of the game also.

Final Score (not an average): 6.5
What could have been a really fantastic Pokémon game is botched by a monotonous story mode. Pokémon fans will no doubt love it for the Colosseum mode and the ability to see the little critters in three beautiful dimensions.  

[Reports out of Japan state that Nintendo will have thirty titles on display for its new handheld at E3.]

444

TalkBack / Thirty DS Titles at E3

« on: April 09, 2004, 08:51:54 AM »

Reports out of Japan state that Nintendo will have thirty titles on display for its new handheld at E3.

Magazine publisher Enterbrain reported earlier today that Nintendo was the top game publisher last year, selling more than 6.5 million games.  It's closest competitor was Square, which sold approximately 4 million units.

A large portion of Nintendo's sales were due to Game Boy Advance software and Enterbrain President Hirokazu Hamamura is eagerly anticipating the Nintendo DS.  "This will be a product unlike anything available right now and it will come with a touch panel," said Hamamura, adding that Nintendo is prepared to showcase thirty titles at the E3 Expo next month.

As usual, Nintendo is being rather tight-lipped on their E3 line-up, but we'll keep you informed as we learn more.

[Rockstar was so impressed with the GBA Max Payne that they're bringing the developer on full-time.]

445

TalkBack / Take-Two Acquires Mobius

« on: April 08, 2004, 05:39:47 PM »

Rockstar was so impressed with the GBA Max Payne that they're bringing the developer on full-time.

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Acquires Mobius Entertainment Ltd.; Mobius Renamed Rockstar Leeds, Continued Focus on GBA and PSP Development

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2004--Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing division of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO), today announced the formation of Rockstar Leeds through the acquisition of Mobius Entertainment Ltd., a Leeds, England based developer of handheld video games.

"We were very impressed with the Mobius development team from the time they began work on the Game Boy(R) Advance version of Max Payne," commented Sam Houser, President of Rockstar Games. "They bring a uniquely progressive vision to the titles they develop and we believe this studio is ahead of the industry on next generation handheld development. We are proud to have them join the Rockstar family."

Mobius Entertainment, now Rockstar Leeds, was founded by industry veterans Gordon Hall, Jason McGann, Dave Box and Ian Bowden in December 1997. They have focused their development efforts primarily on titles for the Game Boy(R) Advance as well as Sony's forthcoming PSP handheld game platform. The studio has approximately 30 developers who have created some of the industry's most highly regarded handheld games, including the award winning Game Boy Advance version of Max Payne for Rockstar Games and Remedy; Drome Racers for Lego and THQ; and Pop Idol for Codemasters.

"From inception, we have grown in size, confidence and enthusiasm, and have remained committed to producing the highest quality games for an ever-changing market," stated Gordon Hall, Managing Director at Mobius. "With our new identity as Rockstar Leeds, we will further leverage our creative and dynamic development team by delivering products that exceed industry expectations for quality, technical achievement and critical acclaim."

[Ubisoft continues to expand its military-based line-up.]

446

TalkBack / Ghost Recon 2 Coming This Fall

« on: April 08, 2004, 05:26:39 PM »

Ubisoft continues to expand its military-based line-up.

Ubisoft Announces Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2

The First Title In A Powerful New Arsenal of War Games Aimed To Conquer The Military Shooter Market

San Francisco, CA - April 8, 2004 - Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today confirmed development of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon™ 2™, the long-awaited sequel to the best-selling modern military shooter that changed the online multiplayer experience for both PC and console fans around the world. With this title and two other key announcements to come in the next few days, Ubisoft is expanding its lineup of war games to every segment of the military category, from historical to near future, and aggressively positioning itself in the competitive war games market which accounted for 5 out of the top 10 shooter franchises in 2003. The Ghost Recon™ franchise contributed greatly to the strength of this segment with more than 5 million copies sold worldwide.

"Our ultimate goal is to become the primary player in the military shooter game arena, thanks to both our internal studios, proven to be amongst the best in the world in this category, and also through strategic alliances with high profile 3rd party developers," said Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft's President and CEO. "Stay tuned for more announcements that will significantly expand this area of the industry and further reinforce our overall military strategy."

Developed by Ubisoft's award-winning Red Storm studio, Ghost Recon 2 launches on next-generation consoles and PC this Holiday season. The game is set in the chaotic battlefields of tomorrow, and will offer gamers an insider's view of the way large scale conflicts will be fought in the near future.

"Ghost Recon has established itself as a mega-selling franchise, and we've retained the core elements that made the first game such a success," said Laurent Detoc, President of Ubisoft, Inc. "But for Ghost Recon 2, we wanted to dial up the intensity and adrenaline to create an experience of total war. We've retooled and improved every aspect of the game, and have integrated a host of incredible new features - and the result is amazing. You will truly feel like you are the hero of a near-future war movie when playing this game."

Ghost Recon 2 will continue the tradition of intensity and realism associated with Ubisoft's Tom Clancy brand, with an emotionally charged storyline, a completely redesigned graphics engine and the most intuitive gameplay to date, to fully immerse gamers into the chaos of a high tech war. The game will offer more action than ever before, as it puts players in command of an elite squad of special forces thrust into a tense political situation in East Asia. In addition, the top-notch multiplayer action that gamers expect from Red Storm will once again place Ghost Recon at the top of online console and PC gaming and will be a must-have for all online gaming fans this holiday season.

[Ubisoft's website is now prettier and easier to navigate.]

447

TalkBack / Ubi.com Gets a Face-lift

« on: April 07, 2004, 06:40:11 AM »

Ubisoft's website is now prettier and easier to navigate.

Ubi.com: New look, same address

Ubisoft's worldwide portal undergoes changes

London - April 7, 2004 - Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game companies, today announced the launch in the UK, France, Germany and the USA of the new version of its Internet portal. The original portal was transformed visually and technically in order to better meet the needs of the gamers. The address remains the same: www.ubi.com, and the same changes will be made on the other European portals by the end of June.

Improvements include:

Twice as many ways for players to find their favourite title on the website (more powerful search engine and user-friendly navigation)

Enhanced customer usability in navigation (quicker loading time of information and more readable content)

Better access and visibility of online services like downloads and community activities

"All along the redesign process, we've kept in mind the people who lied at the bottom of our decision to transform the portal: the gamers", says Gilles Langourieux, Managing Director of ubi.com. "We exceeded the 4 million-mark of unique monthly visitors last year and with our renovated, more user-friendly portal, we hope that a growing number of gamers will enjoy navigating it and discover Ubisoft's elaborate line-up".

[Release info on the GBA wireless adapter, GBA video, and upcoming games.]

448

TalkBack / Nintendo Announces 2004 Line-Up

« on: April 02, 2004, 05:43:18 AM »

Release info on the GBA wireless adapter, GBA video, and upcoming games.

NINTENDO ANNOUNCES INNOVATIVE UPDATES FOR 2004

April 1, 2004 – At a New York City analyst briefing today, Nintendo provided an update on some of the new and exciting products on tap for 2004, including new accessories and content for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™.

    * The Game Boy® Advance Wireless Adapter, which allows players to compete head-to-head without the use of cords, will be packaged with the September release of Pokémon® Fire Red and Pokémon® Leaf Green. In Japan, more than 2 million copies of Pokémon Fire Red and Pokémon Leaf Green featuring the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter have been sold since their launch at the end of January. The June 28 release of Mario Golf™: Advance Tour for Game Boy Advance also will make use of the adapter, which will be sold separately.

    * Game Boy® Advance Video, remarkable new video paks that allow two cartoon episodes to be played on the Game Boy Advance, will be available in June.

    * Upcoming games for Nintendo GameCube include the release of WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ on April 5; Custom Robo™ on May 10; The Legend of Zelda®: Four Swords Adventures™ on June 7; Pikmin™ 2 in August; Donkey Konga™ in September; and Paper Mario 2™, Geist, Metroid® Prime 2, Star Fox® 2, Mario Tennis™ and Mario Party® 6 in the fourth quarter. Nintendo also announced the upcoming release of the higher-capacity 1019 Memory Card for Nintendo GameCube.

    * Game Boy Advance will see the release of the Classic NES® Series on June 7. Eight retro games from the 1980s make a comeback in a hand-held version at an MSRP of $19.99 each. More than 900,000 of these classic games sold in four weeks in Japan.

    * Other upcoming Game Boy Advance titles include Mario vs. Donkey Kong™ on May 24; Hamtaro™ 4 in July; F-Zero® 2 in September; and Mario Pinball™, Donkey Kong® Country 2, Mario Tennis, a new Kirby™ game and a hand-held Mario Party® title in the fourth quarter.

Game titles and release dates are subject to change. For more information about Nintendo, please visit Nintendo.com.

[Qualified students in Japan can get quality instruction from designers at Nintendo at no cost.]

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TalkBack / Nintendo Announces Free Japanese Seminars

« on: April 01, 2004, 05:36:30 PM »

Qualified students in Japan can get quality instruction from designers at Nintendo at no cost.

Nintendo is currently taking applications for student attendees for game seminars, seeing it as  an "ideal chance for you to experience game design in an environment not found in standard student life."  The seminars will be given from June until the end of next March, meeting once a week for three hours to address topics such as design, environmental elements, GBA development, etc.  

Only thirty applicants will be accepted.  If the number of applicants exceeds this amount (I wonder), they will administer a written exam and interviews to select the participants.

Schedule:
June: Orientation and entrance ceremony
June-July: Every week, Thurs. 6:30-9:30PM
August: "Summer concentration lodging." (Possibly a retreat of some sort.)
August-December: Every week, Thurs. 6:30-9:30PM
December: Mid-term presentations
January-March: Every week, Thurs. 6:30-9:30PM
March: Exit ceremony

  Fees:
Free: All expenses paid by Nintendo. Required materials will be lent to students by Nintendo.

  Location:
Nintendo Corporation Tokyo Office (Chiyoda-ku Kandasuda-cho 1-22), about 5 minutes walk from the JR Kanda station, or 2 minutes from the Ginza Line station.

  Contents:
Game planning, program design, sound, game development knowledge, techniques, lectures from Nintendo game developers, advice for aspiring game developers, and development of a GBA game. (It sounds like participants will actually be creating a game in these seminars.)

It's an exciting opportunity for any aspiring designer and especially for those that are Nintendo fans.  If you think you might qualify, head to Nintendo's official site for more info.

Japanese Correspondent Chris Bethea assisted with this article.

[A major bug has caused Nintendo to indefinitely delay the latest GBA Kirby game.]

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TalkBack / Kirby Delayed in Japan

« on: March 22, 2004, 04:54:03 PM »

A major bug has caused Nintendo to indefinitely delay the latest GBA Kirby game.

Previously planning to release Kirby Mirror (Hoshi no Kirby: Kagami no Daimeikyu) just this week, Nintendo announced on Friday that a critical bug has been found in the game, forcing them to delay it until the problem can be fixed.  They apologize to everyone who was planning on picking up the game for Spring Break.  

This is terrible news all around, since Nintendo undoubtedly had a large stock of cartridges already produced for the game, which presumably need to be destroyed at this point.  We'll let you know when Kirby Mirror's new Japanese release is announced.