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It seems that originality is the most important thing in games today.
If a games not original then itís slated for being a ëCloneí, ëSpin-offí or something like that. But, in all honesty, I couldnít care less if a game was original or not.
Letís have us a look at a few examples.
Tony Hawks 2: Well, the ë2í in the title is a dead give away. This is a sequel to a highly successful game. Itís not an original concept and indeed isnít even an original franchise. But just look at how amazingly great this game is. Itís an outstanding game yet itís not original, but that didnít stop thousands upon thousands of people buying it, did it?
Final Fantasy Series: The Final Fantasy series is undoubtedly brilliant. But err... look how many games have been in this series. Itís been carried on for 6 years and is still selling well. Iíll let Seifer rant and rave about quite how good these games are. But the very fact that it is now up to final Fantasy 8 proves my point for me. Original concept? ErrÖ I donít think so.
The ISS/Pro Series: *The* best football games in existence. Whether you play them on the N64 or the PlayStation, greatness just oozes out of all of the ISS/Pro games. There were 2 ISS games on the SNES, 3 on the N64 and I *think* 3 on the PlayStation/PS2. A football game itself isnít exactly original and the fact that there have been 8 games overall just goes to show how unoriginal these games are. But theyíre still awesome, are they not?
Mario and Sonic games: There are too many Mario games to count and a hell of a lot of Sonic games too, both these characters have sold millions and millions and millions of games world-wide, they are both mascots for their respective consoles and their names are known everywhere. The games themselves may be different but the underneath plot is exactly the same each time. Bowser/Dr. Robotnik kidnaps someone, Mario/Sonic goes and rescues them, end of story. Original? Nope...
I could carry on for a long time but I wonít.
None of the games Iíve mentioned above are original yet they sell so damn well.
What does that tell you?
It tells you that a great game is a great game whether the concept, plot, graphics, sound, gameplay or control system is original or not.
Of course, itís superb when an original game does come along because it gives you something new to try out.
But really, if the underlying game itself is good what does the concept matter?
None at all my friends, none at all.
RBS
If a games not original then itís slated for being a ëCloneí, ëSpin-offí or something like that. But, in all honesty, I couldnít care less if a game was original or not.
Letís have us a look at a few examples.
Tony Hawks 2: Well, the ë2í in the title is a dead give away. This is a sequel to a highly successful game. Itís not an original concept and indeed isnít even an original franchise. But just look at how amazingly great this game is. Itís an outstanding game yet itís not original, but that didnít stop thousands upon thousands of people buying it, did it?
Final Fantasy Series: The Final Fantasy series is undoubtedly brilliant. But err... look how many games have been in this series. Itís been carried on for 6 years and is still selling well. Iíll let Seifer rant and rave about quite how good these games are. But the very fact that it is now up to final Fantasy 8 proves my point for me. Original concept? ErrÖ I donít think so.
The ISS/Pro Series: *The* best football games in existence. Whether you play them on the N64 or the PlayStation, greatness just oozes out of all of the ISS/Pro games. There were 2 ISS games on the SNES, 3 on the N64 and I *think* 3 on the PlayStation/PS2. A football game itself isnít exactly original and the fact that there have been 8 games overall just goes to show how unoriginal these games are. But theyíre still awesome, are they not?
Mario and Sonic games: There are too many Mario games to count and a hell of a lot of Sonic games too, both these characters have sold millions and millions and millions of games world-wide, they are both mascots for their respective consoles and their names are known everywhere. The games themselves may be different but the underneath plot is exactly the same each time. Bowser/Dr. Robotnik kidnaps someone, Mario/Sonic goes and rescues them, end of story. Original? Nope...
I could carry on for a long time but I wonít.
None of the games Iíve mentioned above are original yet they sell so damn well.
What does that tell you?
It tells you that a great game is a great game whether the concept, plot, graphics, sound, gameplay or control system is original or not.
Of course, itís superb when an original game does come along because it gives you something new to try out.
But really, if the underlying game itself is good what does the concept matter?
None at all my friends, none at all.
RBS
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Mario Advance is still the biggest rip off in history though.
It's an ancient Nes game, but Nintendo charged 35 quid.
You could get Mario All Stars on the Snes for 10 quid (with every single other Nes Mario game), but Nintendo charged 35 quid for the stand alone game.
It's also the weakest game in the Mario series.
Still a brilliantly addictive games (although I finished my cousins - all eggs and everything - in a week).
A compilation like Mario All Stars would've been a much nicer thing for nintendo to give us, or give us a new 2D Mario game altogether.
They're doing a similar thing with Mario Advance 2 and 3 but I suppose that Mario 3 and Super Mario World are almost worth a 35 quid...
... no, I'm going down to the local second hand shop to get a Snes and all 3 Mario games (+ Mario 1 and Lost Levels) for 30 quid!
It's an ancient Nes game, but Nintendo charged 35 quid.
You could get Mario All Stars on the Snes for 10 quid (with every single other Nes Mario game), but Nintendo charged 35 quid for the stand alone game.
It's also the weakest game in the Mario series.
Still a brilliantly addictive games (although I finished my cousins - all eggs and everything - in a week).
A compilation like Mario All Stars would've been a much nicer thing for nintendo to give us, or give us a new 2D Mario game altogether.
They're doing a similar thing with Mario Advance 2 and 3 but I suppose that Mario 3 and Super Mario World are almost worth a 35 quid...
... no, I'm going down to the local second hand shop to get a Snes and all 3 Mario games (+ Mario 1 and Lost Levels) for 30 quid!
Super Mario Bros 2 ruled.
And in my opinion games in the Mario and Sonic series have been, and continue to be amongst the most originl games on the market.
It depends how you percieve originality, does a title have to be completely original, or just add original themes or play modes to an existing theme?
If you make a wholly original game, you'll struggle to sell it, because, as a rule, people are afraid to shell out their hard earned cash for something different. We don't like to take too many risks, and we stick to what we know.
Thing is, when an original game does come along, the next thing people cry out for is a sequel!
Anyway, back to originality. As wholly new ideas don't sell, why not stick Mario's face on the cover to get peopel interested, and say it's another Mario game, rather than something different that people may not be too keen to try.
Think back to the days of the SNES. Were there any 'kart' style comic racers before Mario Kart? Maybe, but they sure weren't popular. In my eyes Mario Kart was the first racing game of this style to be mass marketable. The power-ups were original, even though it was, basically, a standard racing game, that looked different. Now look at the genre. Even the Muppets have a racing game!
The Sonic games have also continued to add fresh new features into the games, things that have gone on to become the norm. The racing segments in Sonic 2 have since been seen everywhere, and it was Sonic that moved Sega into 3D with his Saturn adventure.
If you're going to innovate, you need to do it with something people know and love. How would a game in which you suck up ghosts with a vacuum cleaner have sold without Luigi there to keep us on the side we know, and not throw us completely into the unknown? It just so happens that Luigi's Mansion sold some 230,000 copies.
So don't be fooled, just because it's part 3 of a series, or features a popular character, it doesn't mean that the game isn't original.
And in my opinion games in the Mario and Sonic series have been, and continue to be amongst the most originl games on the market.
It depends how you percieve originality, does a title have to be completely original, or just add original themes or play modes to an existing theme?
If you make a wholly original game, you'll struggle to sell it, because, as a rule, people are afraid to shell out their hard earned cash for something different. We don't like to take too many risks, and we stick to what we know.
Thing is, when an original game does come along, the next thing people cry out for is a sequel!
Anyway, back to originality. As wholly new ideas don't sell, why not stick Mario's face on the cover to get peopel interested, and say it's another Mario game, rather than something different that people may not be too keen to try.
Think back to the days of the SNES. Were there any 'kart' style comic racers before Mario Kart? Maybe, but they sure weren't popular. In my eyes Mario Kart was the first racing game of this style to be mass marketable. The power-ups were original, even though it was, basically, a standard racing game, that looked different. Now look at the genre. Even the Muppets have a racing game!
The Sonic games have also continued to add fresh new features into the games, things that have gone on to become the norm. The racing segments in Sonic 2 have since been seen everywhere, and it was Sonic that moved Sega into 3D with his Saturn adventure.
If you're going to innovate, you need to do it with something people know and love. How would a game in which you suck up ghosts with a vacuum cleaner have sold without Luigi there to keep us on the side we know, and not throw us completely into the unknown? It just so happens that Luigi's Mansion sold some 230,000 copies.
So don't be fooled, just because it's part 3 of a series, or features a popular character, it doesn't mean that the game isn't original.
zeldapro wrote:
> SUPER MARIO BROS 2 was absoluete Crap!!
I concur most heartily.
> SUPER MARIO BROS 2 was absoluete Crap!!
I concur most heartily.
Pop... Cola... :-)
SUPER MARIO BROS 2 was absoluete Crap!!
An original idea perfectly executed is what makes a classic. Mario Kart, Crazy Taxi, etc. Big original ideas are very rare though. The same goes for all creative works of fiction. But when it does manifest, you never forget it.
Original excellence is the proof of genius.
Original excellence is the proof of genius.
Stryke wrote:
Today I deceided PS2. TBN might actually
> kill me if I chose otherwise.
LOL at that!
*Turbonutter...stiking down all threats to SONY*
Today I deceided PS2. TBN might actually
> kill me if I chose otherwise.
LOL at that!
*Turbonutter...stiking down all threats to SONY*
Stryke wrote:
> A Sonyphile? Well, I suppose thats true. I've been debating for a long time
> whether to get a PS2 or a Gamecube. Today I deceided PS2. TBN might actually
> kill me if I chose otherwise.
That's a very good choice Stryke.
*another big surprise from Ant*
> A Sonyphile? Well, I suppose thats true. I've been debating for a long time
> whether to get a PS2 or a Gamecube. Today I deceided PS2. TBN might actually
> kill me if I chose otherwise.
That's a very good choice Stryke.
*another big surprise from Ant*
I'm not really one to shun sequels... I know i've taken a dig at the PS2 in the past, but thinkning about it... which I don't tend to do, I have come to the conclusion that just because Nintendo sequels may have fancy cover-ups (Gold Silver, Crystal) / (Banjo-Tooie) they're still just as much a sequel as Final fantasy X!
Games either make it, or they don't... good games make it, and bad games don't... there is no in between, games make it or they don't. Zelda games are quite good, at least in most peoples opinion; and the sense of adventure and deep emotion that can be ascertained (revealed) from such a game is incredible...
But being a reliable source of fun is kind of where seuels stop for me. As much as I loved the Banjo-Games, I'd prefer to play StarFox Advetures more so than Banjo-Threeie, Why? Becauase i've done Banjo... I've played his games and I've solved his puzzles... I haven't played SFA: DP and there is something inside me that says:
"Game, find a new game to play... one we haven't done before!"
I see PIKMIN, I see Kameo, I see Donkey Kong Racing, I see lots of other games that are just coming to light on Gamecube, X-Box and Playstation 2. You see we need games to replace games like Superman 64, Bust-a-Move and most of the N64 Konami Olympic games range. Refining the flour (Games) is all well and good, but if you don't add more to replace the bad flour, you have less flour, and your cake is screwed.
Okay, so i'm no analogy king, but you get the idea... most of us would rather have 20 AAA games on the PS2 or GC than have a library of 200 not-so-good-in-fact-a-load-of-monkey-pants titles. But there are people out there who want more games... they want new characters, new games, new ideas and new themes... not to mention genre-breaking titles like PIKMIN and Kameo.
And why shouldn't they get them! We can't live on Zelda or MGS2... okay, so you'll have fun for a while, but what about when the boys come round... you'll need a copy of Fifa 2002, and when the missus brings her cronies to the dance you'll need a simple girlie game like Monkey Ball (Is that the same you you picked for GAD, girlie?) Enough!
Sequels and unoriginal games are all well and good, because they're icons built into our culture and franchises that have always had a place in our hearts... and in our games rack... but we need original games... something to challenge us, something we're unfamiliar with and something that can show us that the industry we love so much isn't just pawning offf the success of a few choice titles from 1986!
Game: Almost asleep...
Games either make it, or they don't... good games make it, and bad games don't... there is no in between, games make it or they don't. Zelda games are quite good, at least in most peoples opinion; and the sense of adventure and deep emotion that can be ascertained (revealed) from such a game is incredible...
But being a reliable source of fun is kind of where seuels stop for me. As much as I loved the Banjo-Games, I'd prefer to play StarFox Advetures more so than Banjo-Threeie, Why? Becauase i've done Banjo... I've played his games and I've solved his puzzles... I haven't played SFA: DP and there is something inside me that says:
"Game, find a new game to play... one we haven't done before!"
I see PIKMIN, I see Kameo, I see Donkey Kong Racing, I see lots of other games that are just coming to light on Gamecube, X-Box and Playstation 2. You see we need games to replace games like Superman 64, Bust-a-Move and most of the N64 Konami Olympic games range. Refining the flour (Games) is all well and good, but if you don't add more to replace the bad flour, you have less flour, and your cake is screwed.
Okay, so i'm no analogy king, but you get the idea... most of us would rather have 20 AAA games on the PS2 or GC than have a library of 200 not-so-good-in-fact-a-load-of-monkey-pants titles. But there are people out there who want more games... they want new characters, new games, new ideas and new themes... not to mention genre-breaking titles like PIKMIN and Kameo.
And why shouldn't they get them! We can't live on Zelda or MGS2... okay, so you'll have fun for a while, but what about when the boys come round... you'll need a copy of Fifa 2002, and when the missus brings her cronies to the dance you'll need a simple girlie game like Monkey Ball (Is that the same you you picked for GAD, girlie?) Enough!
Sequels and unoriginal games are all well and good, because they're icons built into our culture and franchises that have always had a place in our hearts... and in our games rack... but we need original games... something to challenge us, something we're unfamiliar with and something that can show us that the industry we love so much isn't just pawning offf the success of a few choice titles from 1986!
Game: Almost asleep...
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