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OK, I think this may have been done before but I’ll do it now anyway.
Every console has a mascot, even the PSone has one, but I’ll come to that later. So what’s it all about, past present and future?
I’ll start where I know. As everyone knows, Sonic the Hedgehog was Sega’s mascot. Sonic, for the uninitiated, is a blue hedgehog who can run faster than the speed of sound. He has blue spikes and can cut through things with them. Pretty unfeasible, I’m sure you’ll agree. So, why was he so popular, even in the West? Suggestions? Maybe it was because he had an attitude, he was novel, or simply because the games were fantastic.
Then there’s also Mario, the fat little plumber (?) from Brooklyn who fell down a pipe one day into a fantasy world where he must rescue a princess. First off, why the hell was he a plumber? I don’t know, but then again, who does? So was HE so popular? Well, don’t think Mario or even Luigi rank high in the likeability stakes, so I think it was because of the great games Shigsy made featuring the two of the. Surely, Sonic is more likeable to us because he’s a very fleshed-out character, so much so there’s been a popular series of books and cartoons based on him. What Sonic does lack however is a film but that’s a different matter.
Next: Sony’s mascot. “Sony doesn’t have a mascot you monkey!” I hear you cry. Well, in the immortal words of the ship’s captain from Blackadder, “That’s where you’re wrong!” Sony’s mascot is a white hairless p***y (steady…) that goes by the name of Toro. Toro is big in Japan. When I say big, I mean huge. For those who don’t know, Toro debuted in Docodemo Isshou, which means “together anywhere”. The game was Pocket-Station compatible and Toro could be downloaded onto it and taken anywhere. He would interact with you and other pokepi (pocket people *ahem*), asking them questions and getting to know them. He is the ultimate virtual pet that is compatible with your PlayStation, mobile phone and microwave. Apart from appearing in hugely popular PSone games he also advertises the unfortunately named beverage Calpis.
So where is this furless cat in the West? Well, I just don’t know. Maybe he wasn’t popular here, because let’s face it he just reeks of Japan. So who is Sony’s Western mascot? Crash maybe? Well, not really because Sony doesn’t own Crash, Universal Interactive Studios do. So, not Crash, but Naughty Dog have something else coming. That “something else” is Jak and Daxter, starring in the upcoming game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. I won’t go too far into who these people are but suffice to say they’re acceptable adventures who will appear in the aforementioned game, which is a 3D platformer that will be hugely successful.
As for Microsoft’s mascot, who knows? My money’s on Clippit but let’s all hope they don’t last long enough to have a mascot.
So what is the future of mascots? Well, I don’t know about what, I’m more worried about will. Let’s face it, each new Sonic/Mario/Crash game is a sequel to the last. Sure, the games companies make an impressive attempt to keep each one original but HOW MANY “It’s-a-me, Mario!” s can we stand? I think the console mascot is a dying breed. For example, Sonic had 3½ hugely successful outings on the MegaDrive, and Mario had, what, 4 (?) hugely successful outings on the SNES. But look at this. The N64 had only one decidedly token Mario game grace its shores, and the GameCube hasn’t even got one SLATED for it, just a Mario spin-off. The Dreamcast, too, had Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, which I’m told were pretty poor. Can these ageing ghosts survive in a world craving originality? Personally I doubt it. I reckon with every new console there will be a token mascot game, which won’t really do very well, only being bought my die-hard fans. So if the future of the mascot is so bleak, is there anything that can be done?
In my view, yes. Revolution is in the air. There’s mutiny in the ranks, it’s time for a change. Yes, change. I think Nintendo and Sega should create new, bigger and better mascots, ones that are appealing, starring in new and exciting genres with massive scope for further incarnations. Only that can save the dyeing breed.
Long live Sonic. Long live Mario. Vive la resistance.
Every console has a mascot, even the PSone has one, but I’ll come to that later. So what’s it all about, past present and future?
I’ll start where I know. As everyone knows, Sonic the Hedgehog was Sega’s mascot. Sonic, for the uninitiated, is a blue hedgehog who can run faster than the speed of sound. He has blue spikes and can cut through things with them. Pretty unfeasible, I’m sure you’ll agree. So, why was he so popular, even in the West? Suggestions? Maybe it was because he had an attitude, he was novel, or simply because the games were fantastic.
Then there’s also Mario, the fat little plumber (?) from Brooklyn who fell down a pipe one day into a fantasy world where he must rescue a princess. First off, why the hell was he a plumber? I don’t know, but then again, who does? So was HE so popular? Well, don’t think Mario or even Luigi rank high in the likeability stakes, so I think it was because of the great games Shigsy made featuring the two of the. Surely, Sonic is more likeable to us because he’s a very fleshed-out character, so much so there’s been a popular series of books and cartoons based on him. What Sonic does lack however is a film but that’s a different matter.
Next: Sony’s mascot. “Sony doesn’t have a mascot you monkey!” I hear you cry. Well, in the immortal words of the ship’s captain from Blackadder, “That’s where you’re wrong!” Sony’s mascot is a white hairless p***y (steady…) that goes by the name of Toro. Toro is big in Japan. When I say big, I mean huge. For those who don’t know, Toro debuted in Docodemo Isshou, which means “together anywhere”. The game was Pocket-Station compatible and Toro could be downloaded onto it and taken anywhere. He would interact with you and other pokepi (pocket people *ahem*), asking them questions and getting to know them. He is the ultimate virtual pet that is compatible with your PlayStation, mobile phone and microwave. Apart from appearing in hugely popular PSone games he also advertises the unfortunately named beverage Calpis.
So where is this furless cat in the West? Well, I just don’t know. Maybe he wasn’t popular here, because let’s face it he just reeks of Japan. So who is Sony’s Western mascot? Crash maybe? Well, not really because Sony doesn’t own Crash, Universal Interactive Studios do. So, not Crash, but Naughty Dog have something else coming. That “something else” is Jak and Daxter, starring in the upcoming game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. I won’t go too far into who these people are but suffice to say they’re acceptable adventures who will appear in the aforementioned game, which is a 3D platformer that will be hugely successful.
As for Microsoft’s mascot, who knows? My money’s on Clippit but let’s all hope they don’t last long enough to have a mascot.
So what is the future of mascots? Well, I don’t know about what, I’m more worried about will. Let’s face it, each new Sonic/Mario/Crash game is a sequel to the last. Sure, the games companies make an impressive attempt to keep each one original but HOW MANY “It’s-a-me, Mario!” s can we stand? I think the console mascot is a dying breed. For example, Sonic had 3½ hugely successful outings on the MegaDrive, and Mario had, what, 4 (?) hugely successful outings on the SNES. But look at this. The N64 had only one decidedly token Mario game grace its shores, and the GameCube hasn’t even got one SLATED for it, just a Mario spin-off. The Dreamcast, too, had Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, which I’m told were pretty poor. Can these ageing ghosts survive in a world craving originality? Personally I doubt it. I reckon with every new console there will be a token mascot game, which won’t really do very well, only being bought my die-hard fans. So if the future of the mascot is so bleak, is there anything that can be done?
In my view, yes. Revolution is in the air. There’s mutiny in the ranks, it’s time for a change. Yes, change. I think Nintendo and Sega should create new, bigger and better mascots, ones that are appealing, starring in new and exciting genres with massive scope for further incarnations. Only that can save the dyeing breed.
Long live Sonic. Long live Mario. Vive la resistance.
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I would definitely buy it. I'd probably buy two if it was a fighting game!
"It's-a-me, Ma-"
*THWACK!*
*Ding ding*
:-D
"It's-a-me, Ma-"
*THWACK!*
*Ding ding*
:-D
Alright YH, now you've read both, which one did you think was better?
Mascots generate sales, and in that respect they are important.
When Sega released the Sega Master System Sonic was still a concept in the back of someones head. Alex Kidd was their mascot. Alex Kidd WAS Sega, he had 5 games I believe, all quite different from each other. He did have one game on the Megadrive, but there just wasn't enough to it. Sonic came along, and wiped him out!
To be honest I think one of the problems with Sega is that they never made enough of their mascots. Toe Jam and Earl were huge on the Megadrive, if they'd have slipped them into the odd game here and there, sold the rights to merchandise it, they too could have been huge, but Sega just left them, until them decided it was time to use them again.
Nintendo know the importance of tradition, and how using their mascots in games will make them hugely popular. There was only one Mario adventure on the N64, but he and other Nintendo mascots starred in other games too. Mario Party, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Mario Tennis and Mario Golf would have been great games without the Nintendo characters in them, but by using them they're guarenteed a few more sales, and keeping the characters fresh in your mind. So when they appear in another game, we're more likely to buy it.
Likewise with the GAMECUBE. Luigis Mansion is like no Nintendo game that has come before it. It could just as well be called 'Haunted Mansion' and feature a wolfboy named Deek. It would still be the same game, but would people take a risk on something like that? The fact that Luigi is at the helm gives instant recognition, and people can connect to it. They'll soon get used to the way that it plays, and find it a fantastic gaming experience.
Nintendos strength lies in the number of strong mascot characters that they have. Any title that features Star Fox, Donkey Kong or Pokemon will keep them in profit. The Zelda and Metroid series are hugely popular, and they make people want the games, and more importantly, want the consoles to start with.
Sony may not have mascots as such, but there are franchises that people associate with Sony. Why do you think that the launch line up had a Tekken game, and a Ridge Racer game? Not because the Playstation is a console that only has sequels, that's a tired old arguement, but because they're what people know and love. They make you want the console.
Nobody wanted to buy a Playstation 2 for Timesplitters or SSX, 12 months before it's launch, as these were just names of games they knew nothing about. It was the prospect of playing a new Tekken game, a new Ridge Racer, and later to come a new Metal Gear Solid or Gran Turismo game. Now that they can play the other original titles, they find that they're great too. For instance, how many PS2 owners would find the prospect of a new Zone of Enders game interesting?
I don't see mascots dying out. I see them becoming stronger. Hopefully developers will choose to use there popularity to bring fresh gameplay ideas, and innovation to the gamer, rather than just rehashing their previous adventure.
When Sega released the Sega Master System Sonic was still a concept in the back of someones head. Alex Kidd was their mascot. Alex Kidd WAS Sega, he had 5 games I believe, all quite different from each other. He did have one game on the Megadrive, but there just wasn't enough to it. Sonic came along, and wiped him out!
To be honest I think one of the problems with Sega is that they never made enough of their mascots. Toe Jam and Earl were huge on the Megadrive, if they'd have slipped them into the odd game here and there, sold the rights to merchandise it, they too could have been huge, but Sega just left them, until them decided it was time to use them again.
Nintendo know the importance of tradition, and how using their mascots in games will make them hugely popular. There was only one Mario adventure on the N64, but he and other Nintendo mascots starred in other games too. Mario Party, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Mario Tennis and Mario Golf would have been great games without the Nintendo characters in them, but by using them they're guarenteed a few more sales, and keeping the characters fresh in your mind. So when they appear in another game, we're more likely to buy it.
Likewise with the GAMECUBE. Luigis Mansion is like no Nintendo game that has come before it. It could just as well be called 'Haunted Mansion' and feature a wolfboy named Deek. It would still be the same game, but would people take a risk on something like that? The fact that Luigi is at the helm gives instant recognition, and people can connect to it. They'll soon get used to the way that it plays, and find it a fantastic gaming experience.
Nintendos strength lies in the number of strong mascot characters that they have. Any title that features Star Fox, Donkey Kong or Pokemon will keep them in profit. The Zelda and Metroid series are hugely popular, and they make people want the games, and more importantly, want the consoles to start with.
Sony may not have mascots as such, but there are franchises that people associate with Sony. Why do you think that the launch line up had a Tekken game, and a Ridge Racer game? Not because the Playstation is a console that only has sequels, that's a tired old arguement, but because they're what people know and love. They make you want the console.
Nobody wanted to buy a Playstation 2 for Timesplitters or SSX, 12 months before it's launch, as these were just names of games they knew nothing about. It was the prospect of playing a new Tekken game, a new Ridge Racer, and later to come a new Metal Gear Solid or Gran Turismo game. Now that they can play the other original titles, they find that they're great too. For instance, how many PS2 owners would find the prospect of a new Zone of Enders game interesting?
I don't see mascots dying out. I see them becoming stronger. Hopefully developers will choose to use there popularity to bring fresh gameplay ideas, and innovation to the gamer, rather than just rehashing their previous adventure.
Ah, mascots... where would we be without them. They are so beneficial to companies. Take Roland McDonald, for example. A Red and Yellow clown, not too flashy, but because he was the mascot of such a popular restaurant, he became a household name.
Okay, lets go into videogames. Mario, I know you're sick of him being mentioned in these posts, BUT he is a key player and a prime example of what a mascot can do for a company.
It was in 1983, the year I was born, when Mario finally got his own game... The Jumpman that was, was now a star and as the demand for Mario games grew, our favourite videogame plumber with the name Mario was in quite a few homes, and he was, the first real Nintendo gaming mascot. (As Coleco bought the rights to sell Donkey Kong for home systems, and Atari purchased the rights to Kong computer games, putting the Atari and Coleco names prominently on the cartridges.)
As I said, this wasn't the case for Mario... he was 100% Nintendo as popularity grew fast. I'll spare you all the historic details, but as you know, from then to now, Mario has had quite a few make-overs and he's as popular as ever.
It just goes to show that having a mascot can take a company to new heights! The same could be said for Sonic, especially in Japan, although he didn't quite see the same success as Mario. It was just because, in many peoples opinion, Mario was better. I think the reason for Mario's ssuccess was through his games... and who made the games? SShigeru Miyamoto. You can't just let a Mascot sit in the corner with the same pose eating the same company endorsed food! You need to bring them into the future and show the world that you mean business... and that is exactly what Nintendo did.
Game
Okay, lets go into videogames. Mario, I know you're sick of him being mentioned in these posts, BUT he is a key player and a prime example of what a mascot can do for a company.
It was in 1983, the year I was born, when Mario finally got his own game... The Jumpman that was, was now a star and as the demand for Mario games grew, our favourite videogame plumber with the name Mario was in quite a few homes, and he was, the first real Nintendo gaming mascot. (As Coleco bought the rights to sell Donkey Kong for home systems, and Atari purchased the rights to Kong computer games, putting the Atari and Coleco names prominently on the cartridges.)
As I said, this wasn't the case for Mario... he was 100% Nintendo as popularity grew fast. I'll spare you all the historic details, but as you know, from then to now, Mario has had quite a few make-overs and he's as popular as ever.
It just goes to show that having a mascot can take a company to new heights! The same could be said for Sonic, especially in Japan, although he didn't quite see the same success as Mario. It was just because, in many peoples opinion, Mario was better. I think the reason for Mario's ssuccess was through his games... and who made the games? SShigeru Miyamoto. You can't just let a Mascot sit in the corner with the same pose eating the same company endorsed food! You need to bring them into the future and show the world that you mean business... and that is exactly what Nintendo did.
Game
That was pretty good.
POP for Your Honour.
I really want to play the new Sonic Advance game.
I have hardly seen any of the ex-boxes games but I still think that Malice will be their mascot, but as TN said we all hope that they will not survive long enough to get one. I would prefer it to be Sony and Nintendo battling it out for supremecy..but even better would be Sega and Nintendo, just like the old times.
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