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Anyone remember the 64DD? All the 64 mags were full of pics about it an news month after month. It was meant to be an add-on to the console that allowed you to go on the web, make your own games, get more levels for games and use simple software. But then(!) the whole idea was ignored by all the mags...
The reason was that the console was delayed so many times that it looked unlikely to come out... but it did! In japan 100,000 were released, each of which came with a keyboard, mouse and a months internet access. Suffice it to say that this did not meake enough money to break even, and ninty lost millions!
How about the Virtual Boy??? It was the successor to the Game boy... a set of goggles mounted on a tripod that produced 3d games when you look into them. This was a disaster. The games were only in one colour- Red. You had to refocus the light every time you played. Only a handfull of games were released on the console. Add to this it was impossible to advertise the 3d images on tv, and shops found it hard to make people see the point. Not only this, but the console was not portable- you needed a flat surfice, and it was anti-social. Even the games that did come out didn't make great use of the 3d capabilities! And finally, people got head aches using it!
Suffice it to say the head of Ninty who made the Virtual Boy project was fired... he later tragically died in a car crash.
And you thoough the big N was perfect?
Sonic
Anyone remember the 64DD? All the 64 mags were full of pics about it an news month after month. It was meant to be an add-on to the console that allowed you to go on the web, make your own games, get more levels for games and use simple software. But then(!) the whole idea was ignored by all the mags...
The reason was that the console was delayed so many times that it looked unlikely to come out... but it did! In japan 100,000 were released, each of which came with a keyboard, mouse and a months internet access. Suffice it to say that this did not meake enough money to break even, and ninty lost millions!
How about the Virtual Boy??? It was the successor to the Game boy... a set of goggles mounted on a tripod that produced 3d games when you look into them. This was a disaster. The games were only in one colour- Red. You had to refocus the light every time you played. Only a handfull of games were released on the console. Add to this it was impossible to advertise the 3d images on tv, and shops found it hard to make people see the point. Not only this, but the console was not portable- you needed a flat surfice, and it was anti-social. Even the games that did come out didn't make great use of the 3d capabilities! And finally, people got head aches using it!
Suffice it to say the head of Ninty who made the Virtual Boy project was fired... he later tragically died in a car crash.
And you thoough the big N was perfect?
Sonic
Things are different now though... but companies still need to be careful when releasing such products. Sony, for example, need some very good marketing in the HD/Broadband add-ons are to avoid the same fate.
Lots of stuff they've done to try and destroy the competition... Might write an article about it when I get the time.
> Nintendo is quite far from perfect... third party relations, royalty
> grabbing... no, not that kind of royalty...
Lots of stuff they've
> done to try and destroy the competition... Might write an article
> about it when I get the time.
I think ninty really do go ott on royalties... basically they use a propietry format that only they can make. As soon as someone else copies it (codemasters used to make their own carts) then they sue them!
It used to be ok when Ninty consoles were the best and publishers were prepared to pay to get their names up there... but as soon as the PSX came out then people thought "why go to ninty when we can make more profit on the PSX for next to no royalties!"
Sonic
> I think £50 for a mario game is well above the odds for a
> kiddies game, lets face it do you want to pay £50 to collect a
> hundred odd coins?? I don't.
Manybe you have underestimated the game... anyway, Zelda IS worth £50-£60
Sonic
> basically they use a propietry format that only they can make. As
> soon as someone else copies it (codemasters used to make their own
> carts) then they sue them!
Isnt the point of the format to kill of piracy?
And Zelda is not woth £50-60, the one on the N64 was one of the most boring games of the last few years.
> And is asking people to pay £50 for a mario game a way to
> eradicate piracy??
And Zelda is not woth £50-60, the one on
> the N64 was one of the most boring games of the last few years.
??? ... I was replying to SonicRavs post... ??? ... :)