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"It's hip to be square"

"the Nintendo GameCube is more developer-friendly than the PlayStation 2,"

Not a biased view point from myself but a quote from Yoichi Wada who is the president of... Squaresoft. He also went on to add that Squaresoft are in talks with Nintendo for work on the GBA and Gamecube. Rumours are also rife about GBA only Final Fantasy titles. So Could Squaresoft be working for Nintendo?

Well something hit me as soon as I read that statement and all four websites I read it from never commented on it. How do Squaresoft know the Gamecube is more developer-friendly if they aren't working on it yet? Namco have also skipped to Gamecube as we already know but they never really liked Nintendo, I will never forget when they said "The N64 isn't good enough to compete with the Playstation", but they have changed their tune now with praise delivered to both Gamecube and X-box, Dead or Alive 3 developers Tecmo have said the Gamecube is a Brilliant console with a bright future.

This sudden ammount of Gamecube praise has given analysts a re-think and they now predict the Gamecube will have a 30% share of the market and that the PS2 will drop 6%! Despite this drop the PS2 will still be the market leader. So what has promted such a turn around from previous PS2 exclusive companies? Money? The fact that its now easier to work for Nintendo or Microsoft?

Well yes all of those, with games that don't sell they can be recalled and games can be made over them something that attracted developers to the PS1, but another factor is that the developers are worried about the PS2's dominance and fear that there will be one day one console and it will be from Sony. So commitment to the Cube and X-box have commenced and it looks as if it could effect Sony and their Playstation system. If Tecmo is bringing their beat 'em up legend to the Gamecube, if Rockstar are bringing GTA3 to the Gamecube, if Squaresoft are to introduce Final Fantasy back on to a Nintendo system and if Namco finally announce Tekken then what does the Playstation have left?

There are other titles that will stand up like GT3 and Wipeout but can they stand up against the might of Nintendo's first and second party titles? And Microsoft have an impressive second party line up as well.

*On a sour note it looks as if Nintendo and Second Party Left Field have had another arguement over Nintendo finding their games, well, crap and it seems there might be a split. But to make you happier the Retro/Metroid situation is looking much better.*

Here's to the future.

Dringo.

In case no one believes me.

http://psx.ign.com/reviews/11674.html

http://psx.ign.com/reviews/16322.html

Initially the 3 games where meant to yes, but Square then decided on adding FMV to each game which required one game per-disc rather than all three.
And I have the PS games (FF Anthology and FF Chronicles), imported from the US to know that.

No, I rememebr OPSM mentioning it that they all came one one disc.

Turbonutter wrote:
> No, it was 6. You can get them all in a PlayStation anthology thingy.

Not true, I got them on Import several months back.
The Final Fantasy Anthology package contains Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.

The Final Fantasy Chronicles package contains just Final Fantasy IV, with the extra game being Chrono Trigger.
So thats only 3 of the SNES FF games not 6.

Dringo wrote:
> Serves Square right though to be honest...

Ok i got the argument not 100%
> right but come on 6 SNES FF??????

are you sure it isn't 3 Snes and 3 Gameboy
> titles????

:D


In Europe, the third world for gaming, there was only 3.

FF1, FF2 and FF6.

3-5 came out in Japan but they were deemed too crap/unsuitable (can't remember the exact reason) for western release.

But FF6 was great, so they released it here as Final Fantasy 3.

You were nearly right Dringo, nearly... ;-)

6 SNES titles yes (FFI-VI)
3 Gameboy called- Final Fantasy and FF Legends I & II.
And a little pointer: The Original Japanese FFV was in fact called FFIII in America when it was released.
So together that is 9 Nintendo FF Titles.

No, it was 6. You can get them all in a PlayStation anthology thingy.

Serves Square right though to be honest...

Ok i got the argument not 100% right but come on 6 SNES FF??????

are you sure it isn't 3 Snes and 3 Gameboy titles????

:D

Turbonutter wrote:
> One of the Final Fantasies on the PSone (IX?) is the biggest selling game ever,
> OF ALL TIME. Seeing as PS2 game cost more than GBA ones AND there is virtually
> no lisencing on DVDs Square stand to make much more from the PS2, especially
> with their sequel to incredibly-successful-RPG-I-can't-remember-right-now
> rumoured to be in development.

Firstly, the GBA has outsold the PS2 and Square get more sales out of it.
Secondly, making a 3D game is much more complex than a 2D game, let alone on the horribly complex and awkward PS2.

Devellopment costs comparations between a GBA develloped game and a PS2 develloped game can only be compared on a logarithmic scale!

Square desperately want these easy, quick profits, especially with 6 Snes FF's available for cheap conversion.


As to Dringo, the arguments were a bit more personal than carts/cd's issues.

You mentioned messing around with the Mario liscience in the form of Mario RPG.
Nintendo and Square argued over the profits and Nintendo won, leaving a very bitter Squaresoft.

Square went to the Playstation but Nintendo didn't mind that much.
Square then persuaded many major devellopers to ditch Nintendo.
Nintendo almost let that go.

Square then set about publicly slating Nintendo whenever they got the chance, something they seriously regret so much, because that little bit of immaturity has cost them dearly.

Now Nintendo want nothing to do with Square (and for good reason too), but they thought of their gamers and said that Square could work for them providing the Gamecube versions of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy came out as quickly as the PS2 versions, at which point Sony came in and shouted "NO!".

After losing the Resi franchise, they didn't want to see one of Japans most loved franchise stop being PS2 exclusive.

So Sony have their exclusive games, Nintendo enjoy seeing Squaresoft taking damage (although the movie disaster wasn't fatal, it set the companies devellopment back a LOT), and Squaresoft are left bleeding in the corner.

Sony's medical attention isn't enough, but Sony won't let Square devellop for rival machines, and Nintendo won't let Square have GBA privelleges without a strong Gamecube boost in return...

Poor Squaresoft, you almost feel sorry for them, trapped and stunted by console wars like that...

Dringo wrote:
> All in all we have unhappy square, Unhappy gamers and happy fat cats sitting in
> their million doller chairs.

You forgot to mention them stroking their white pussys.