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"Two Halves of the Same Console"

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Sat 02/02/02 at 00:39
Regular
Posts: 787
Whilst we teeter on the edges of our seats in anticipation for the release of Nintendo’s Gamecube I ask you, do you have a Gameboy Advance? Many have said if you want value for money then get a Gamecube, but how much value for money is it? Sure for a game machine it is brilliant in price but then you’ve only really got half a console in front of you.

The GBA-GC link up is one of Nintendo’s best idea’s, whilst PS2 and X-box developers puzzle over how to get the most from the net, Nintendo have quiet wisely come up with their own next generation idea. But is this just an advertisement ploy? There are millions of GBA owners currently touring the roads and if each one of those GBA owners got a Gamecube then the Gamecube can give the PS2 and X-box a real run for its money. So the GBA link up if advertised correctly could generate millions of extra sales for the Gamecube, like the Transfer pack on the N64, the ability to transfer Pokémon onto the N64 sold tones of them. But the GBA link up is nothing like that used on the N64, on the N64 only first and second parties made use of the function namely the two (or three depending where you live) Pokémon stadium games and Mario Golf and Tennis. This time over 50% of the Gamecube’s upcoming catalogue of games implements the use of the GBA; this includes both first, second and third parties.

Animal Forest + already on release in Japan is the first game to do this (over here it will be Sonic but it’s the first in Japan). Animal Forest was originally an N64 release which sadly never got released over here, its an exploration game where you live your life and depending on what time of the year it is will depend on what occurs in the background e.g. in winter it will be cold and snowy. The game has been re-released on the Gamecube this time with a world-wide release planned, although the graphics haven’t altered much (they now run at 60 frames per second) there is one main feature that gives the Gamecube version the elusive + in the title, the GBA link up. By visiting an island in Animal forest a mini version of the game appears on your Gameboy Advance, this new addition has been well received in Japan (they absolutely love the game) and the gaming bible for Japan Famitsu has awarded it 37/40, a score shared by the Gamecube’s Super Smash Brother’s Melee.

An example of a third party link up is with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, (also already out in Japan) this links up with Sonic Advance on the GBA. It uses a similar system used on the Dreamcast where you can download a Chao on to your GBA (like you could onto your VMU). The difference this time is that you are not downloading onto a memory card you are downloading onto a game and unlike the VMU everything is displayed in colour. For those of you unfamiliar with this idea, a Chao is a small creature, which you train up, each Chao turns out differently and yes this basically is a Tamagotchi (but with a few extra features such as being able to play with them in 3D). The exciting thing about this is that Sonic Advance is scheduled for a release in the upcoming months and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a European Gamecube launch title, this makes for a strong possibility that the GBA-GC link up could be avalible from the launch of the Gamecube something that didn’t happen in the US or Japan.

Koro, Koro Kirby (Better known as Kirby tilt n’ tumble) is what Shigsy has been using to demonstrate the GBA-GC link up. If there has to be one game designed especially to incorporate the GBA-GC link up this is it. You tilt the GBA this tilts the board that you can see on your GC screen, this moves Kirby around several levels where you must tilt him to the exit. Kirby tilt ‘n Tumble appeared on the GBC in Japan and now a GBA and Gamecube version is planned, you can flip Kirby into the GBA and wonder around playing him in there. Most titles though use the GBA as an optional extra; Infogrammes plan to link up Dragonball Z on the GBA to the GC but don’t expect this to be an essential. So how important is it to own both consoles?

The GBA is like the expansion pak on the N64, it is necessary for some games such as Koro, Koro Kirby but for the majority of games like Sonic and Dragonball Z it will be a mere add on like the internet options in many games. But Nintendo have confirmed that over 50% of the Gamecube games currently in development will use the GBA link up option, which of course is vastly more than the Expansion Pak, also the Expansion Pak existed only towards the end of the N64’s life whilst the GBA is there from the start. Also despite oddities in the form of Majora’s Mask, Donkey Kong and Perfect Dark the majority of games that implement the Expansion Pak function made very slight unnoticeable changes (sometimes it hindered playing) and so therefore the difference it made to games were pathetic. The GBA on the other hand will add an entire new element to the game, new modes, possible adding to the Gameplay experience.
Right now we haven’t a clue what the GBA can do we only have a taste, in a Perfect Dark 0 deathmatch the GBA could be used as a map, a health bar, it could even show your opponents stats such as weapons health and location (which the map could show). In a Football game it could show current location of players so when you pass you are sure there is actually someone over there (I often pass up the wing to nobody). In many games it could be used as maps or health like the VMU on the Dreamcast. The fact is we don’t know everything the GBA has in store for us but what we do know is that many games will use it in one way or another and it will add another element into the scheme of things. So is a GBA essential? Not really but you should be considering it and if you can’t afford one now consider getting one in the future. If you own a GBA then you should consider the purchase of the Gamecube as they are essentially to halves of the same console. Meanwhile of your like me and have one and plan to get the other then you can look forward to years of innovation.

Here’s to the future

Dringo.
Sat 02/02/02 at 00:49
Regular
Posts: 15,579
Anyone read any Newspapers today?

NEarly every third page had an "Gameboy Advance Price Drop" advitisement from one shop or another.

Also, underneath all of them, were somthing along the lines of pre-order your Gamecube now.

GBA is definitly a big part of the Nintendo plan. Excellent.
Sat 02/02/02 at 00:39
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Whilst we teeter on the edges of our seats in anticipation for the release of Nintendo’s Gamecube I ask you, do you have a Gameboy Advance? Many have said if you want value for money then get a Gamecube, but how much value for money is it? Sure for a game machine it is brilliant in price but then you’ve only really got half a console in front of you.

The GBA-GC link up is one of Nintendo’s best idea’s, whilst PS2 and X-box developers puzzle over how to get the most from the net, Nintendo have quiet wisely come up with their own next generation idea. But is this just an advertisement ploy? There are millions of GBA owners currently touring the roads and if each one of those GBA owners got a Gamecube then the Gamecube can give the PS2 and X-box a real run for its money. So the GBA link up if advertised correctly could generate millions of extra sales for the Gamecube, like the Transfer pack on the N64, the ability to transfer Pokémon onto the N64 sold tones of them. But the GBA link up is nothing like that used on the N64, on the N64 only first and second parties made use of the function namely the two (or three depending where you live) Pokémon stadium games and Mario Golf and Tennis. This time over 50% of the Gamecube’s upcoming catalogue of games implements the use of the GBA; this includes both first, second and third parties.

Animal Forest + already on release in Japan is the first game to do this (over here it will be Sonic but it’s the first in Japan). Animal Forest was originally an N64 release which sadly never got released over here, its an exploration game where you live your life and depending on what time of the year it is will depend on what occurs in the background e.g. in winter it will be cold and snowy. The game has been re-released on the Gamecube this time with a world-wide release planned, although the graphics haven’t altered much (they now run at 60 frames per second) there is one main feature that gives the Gamecube version the elusive + in the title, the GBA link up. By visiting an island in Animal forest a mini version of the game appears on your Gameboy Advance, this new addition has been well received in Japan (they absolutely love the game) and the gaming bible for Japan Famitsu has awarded it 37/40, a score shared by the Gamecube’s Super Smash Brother’s Melee.

An example of a third party link up is with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, (also already out in Japan) this links up with Sonic Advance on the GBA. It uses a similar system used on the Dreamcast where you can download a Chao on to your GBA (like you could onto your VMU). The difference this time is that you are not downloading onto a memory card you are downloading onto a game and unlike the VMU everything is displayed in colour. For those of you unfamiliar with this idea, a Chao is a small creature, which you train up, each Chao turns out differently and yes this basically is a Tamagotchi (but with a few extra features such as being able to play with them in 3D). The exciting thing about this is that Sonic Advance is scheduled for a release in the upcoming months and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a European Gamecube launch title, this makes for a strong possibility that the GBA-GC link up could be avalible from the launch of the Gamecube something that didn’t happen in the US or Japan.

Koro, Koro Kirby (Better known as Kirby tilt n’ tumble) is what Shigsy has been using to demonstrate the GBA-GC link up. If there has to be one game designed especially to incorporate the GBA-GC link up this is it. You tilt the GBA this tilts the board that you can see on your GC screen, this moves Kirby around several levels where you must tilt him to the exit. Kirby tilt ‘n Tumble appeared on the GBC in Japan and now a GBA and Gamecube version is planned, you can flip Kirby into the GBA and wonder around playing him in there. Most titles though use the GBA as an optional extra; Infogrammes plan to link up Dragonball Z on the GBA to the GC but don’t expect this to be an essential. So how important is it to own both consoles?

The GBA is like the expansion pak on the N64, it is necessary for some games such as Koro, Koro Kirby but for the majority of games like Sonic and Dragonball Z it will be a mere add on like the internet options in many games. But Nintendo have confirmed that over 50% of the Gamecube games currently in development will use the GBA link up option, which of course is vastly more than the Expansion Pak, also the Expansion Pak existed only towards the end of the N64’s life whilst the GBA is there from the start. Also despite oddities in the form of Majora’s Mask, Donkey Kong and Perfect Dark the majority of games that implement the Expansion Pak function made very slight unnoticeable changes (sometimes it hindered playing) and so therefore the difference it made to games were pathetic. The GBA on the other hand will add an entire new element to the game, new modes, possible adding to the Gameplay experience.
Right now we haven’t a clue what the GBA can do we only have a taste, in a Perfect Dark 0 deathmatch the GBA could be used as a map, a health bar, it could even show your opponents stats such as weapons health and location (which the map could show). In a Football game it could show current location of players so when you pass you are sure there is actually someone over there (I often pass up the wing to nobody). In many games it could be used as maps or health like the VMU on the Dreamcast. The fact is we don’t know everything the GBA has in store for us but what we do know is that many games will use it in one way or another and it will add another element into the scheme of things. So is a GBA essential? Not really but you should be considering it and if you can’t afford one now consider getting one in the future. If you own a GBA then you should consider the purchase of the Gamecube as they are essentially to halves of the same console. Meanwhile of your like me and have one and plan to get the other then you can look forward to years of innovation.

Here’s to the future

Dringo.

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