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"Do Nintendo deserve failure?"

There's no disputing the fact that the XBOX and GCN have lost the race. They'd probably lost it before the thing had even started. The Dreamcast died out due to sheer anticipation of the PS2, the universally recognised brand, the machine that makes games trendy and cool...in fact, the Gameboy Advance is probably the nearest challenger. Microsoft seem to be desperate not to fail, clutching at pack-in deals for less than £200, and splashing out on companies like Rare that seem to have lost a little of their pull...but despite the neediness that is exhuded by the XBOX, it's attractive pricing and killer apps such as Halo, along with the enticing option of Xbox Live, have seen it overtake the GC. Many gamers are upset, seeing Nintendo as the only lasting original company after the demise of consoles from the likes of 3DO and Sega...but do Nintendo deserve to falter? Sega have had a comeback of Alan Partridge proportions after going software-only, would it benefit Nintendo?

The big issue really is where you are. Japan is the home of Nintendo, and they get everything first. In fact, they're enjoying Zelda right now, along with a pair of bonus discs for pre-ordering customers. But what of Europe? It's no secret that Nintendo still don't regard the East of 'the West' as a main priority, concentrating more on home and America, traditionally the biggest electronics-buying countries. Here we won't be getting Zelda for a fair few months, and that's not just a single sob story to try and convince you. Metroid Prime is slowly chugging its way to release, despite most Americans having bought it and seen all three endings (and not because it's short, either). Think back to the release of the console itsself - we were the last to get a go on the Gamecube. It really hurts Nintendo's image when they build up big games such as Mario Sunshine, and then announce that it won't be here for half a year...in fact, the only people it really helps are the exact types Nintendo are strictly opposed to: Sony and Microsoft, who ply customers with classics instantly available, and importers and chippers, who provide the means for European gamers to get the games when they should.

So what does this all mean for Joe Public? Well, the most sought after Gamecube accessory isn't the Wavebird (again, released here long after the Japanese and Americans got their hands on it), but the Freeloader disc, which is nothing more than a modchip on a dinky DVD, really...although the ironic thing is, its release date has slipped into TBC land. Let's look at the alternatives - right now you could go out and buy a Playstation 2. For games, you could buy GTA:Vice City or Pro Evolution 2; both leaders in their respective fields. If you opted for an XBOX, you'd be given the choice of Halo (the best console FPS ever), Jet Set Radio Future (a sleeper hit) and Splinter Cell, the critically acclaimed challenger to MGS which won't come out on the other consoles for a few months, IF Microsoft don't lock it down for exclusive rights. The Gamecube's best games are usually cited as Mario Sunshine (which, despite many being dissapointed, is probably the best platformer of the year), Super Monkey Ball (in which you roll monkeys around in balls) and Eternal Darkness, which seems to have no choice but to limp into shopping trolleys through word of mouth due to criminal under-exposure from Nintendo. And then Resident Evil, the inexplicably popular game, is available with worse graphics on the PS1 for around a tenner.

Not bad, but then when you ask someone if they'd rather play football and kill people, shoot aliens, skate around and save the world or bounce around, negotiate mazes and stay sane they'll probably snub the Gamecube. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad system - it has the quality. But the makers seem to be determined to fail. Take the Panasonic Q, a Gamecube with multi-region DVD player capabilities. Do Nintendo license it for America and Europe? Nope. And they don't seem that bothered about their kiddie image either. You can have all the Resi adverts you like, when your main franchises involve a fat plumber, monkeys and a young man wearing a green tunic, you're not sounding mature. Having a purple console doesn't help either. No matter what people say about the content counting, people are put off by having a child's toy when they could have a cool PS2 or big bad Xbox...and Nintendo need to figure out that until they change this, they're not going very far.

Then the Game Boy Advance. Here Nintendo started off quite well - complete backwards compatibility creating an almost infinite library of games, tonnes of great updates of old classics like Doom and Super Mario World, audacious ports from more complex games such as Medal of Honour and SSX Tricky, and more of those new Nintendo must-buys like Metroid Fusion. It's even compatible with everything, due to no regional lock-out! Unfortunately, nobody bothered to mention the dark screen which has been the butt of an untold amount of jokes. It's taken independent companies to do what everyone has wanted Nintendo to do, and that's give the GBA a backlit screen...and when everyone's excited about this new piece of handheld hardware, it turns out they recycle a SNES idea and create a GBA player for the GCN.

At almost every turn, Nintendo seem determined to show everyone how bad they can be. Be it neglecting an important market, almost not bothering to release games in certain areas, not doing enough about their image, and I haven't even touched on Nintendo's reluctance to move into the lucrative online avenue. With the Microsoft/Rare deal Nintendo won't be going bankrupt anytime soon, and with Pikmin 2 and Mario 128 said to be in 'the future' and the likes of Metroid Prime and Zelda:TWW yet to come, there's lots of good gaming to be had there. But should Nintendo be left behind by the Xbox? I think so. Here's hoping they try harder next time round...it'd be terrible to see another giant fall.

Thanks for reading, your thoughts are appreciated.

-El Blokey

That was their initial prices in the argos catalogue.
Apparently, some Snes games used to cost that much too.

Anyway, within a few months of release, Nintendo got put in their place as PS sales easily surpased it and it was price cuts all round.
I picked one up for £120 with Goldeneye (this was two years after release) and four pads and probably got the best gaming deal there ever was.

I'm quite glad the PS trounced the N64 in those early years.
Look how nicely priced the Gamecube is as a result.

Strafex wrote:

> Besides, these little prices are NOTHING compared to the £60+
> games Nintendo used to try to get away with and the monopolising
> tactics MS have employed in the OS industry.

Rubbish.

I never bought an N64 game for more than £46

Turok was £70, but that was Acclaim, not Nintendo.

The memory card is a point (although I bet you can get one for a reasonable price in most places), but I wouldn't call refusing to cut the price of the PS2 to keep up with the Xbox a crime.

MS are more desperate for sales and hence go all out on the value.
That doesn't mean that Sony are ripping people off.

Besides, these little prices are NOTHING compared to the £60+ games Nintendo used to try to get away with and the monopolising tactics MS have employed in the OS industry.

Strafex wrote:
>Sony aren't abusing their power like Nintendo did, or like MS
> (from their PC market reputation) would, so it could be worse...

Really ? £27.99 for a crappy 8mb of memory for a peripheral essential to all games, and whose price has never fallen yet ?

Plus, Sony could have dropped the PS2 price this christmas, or at least bundled a game in free, but no, it stayed at £169.99 whilst being out specced by the GC and Xbox. Sure, specs mean little to most consumers anyway, but how many mobile users would pay more for a Sagem phone than they would a Nokia ? The same applies to consoles, but, safe in the knowledge they dominate the market, Sony kept at £169.99.

~~Belldandy~~

I meant the younger generation of PS2 gamers. The 6-7 year olds that won't be playing the classics that I was when I was around their age. A lot of parents DO NOT aprove to the GTA games because they promote the bad part of society and some of it is unnessecery but that is a different matter.

ÂLŠ†ÂÎR wrote:
> We all know why that is as well, to rip-off gamers to make money. The
> bad thing is, they know the PS2 sells the most and thats why they do
> it. But it is not just any gamer it is the younger generation of
> gamers that go for the flashy presentation and the Disney LOGO! Whilst
> I will remember playing games like Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mortal
> Kombat, Sonic, Alex Kidd, Starfox etc they won't have anything to
> remember and no evidence of it because by the time they have grown up
> no-one will remember a Disney Golf game that was released in 2002 and
> the reviews and memories that go along with this won't be treasured by
> the gaming industry!

Alistair, if what you're saying is that PS2 owners won't have any lasting memories of cheap Disney platformers you are generalising terribly. What about GTA, or Tekken, or Final Fantasy, or Kingdom Hearts, or Metal Gear Solid, or Pro Evolution Soccer 2, or Sly Raccoon, or GT3, or Ratchet and Clank?

We all know why that is as well, to rip-off gamers to make money. The bad thing is, they know the PS2 sells the most and thats why they do it. But it is not just any gamer it is the younger generation of gamers that go for the flashy presentation and the Disney LOGO! Whilst I will remember playing games like Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat, Sonic, Alex Kidd, Starfox etc they won't have anything to remember and no evidence of it because by the time they have grown up no-one will remember a Disney Golf game that was released in 2002 and the reviews and memories that go along with this won't be treasured by the gaming industry!

Xbox/GC/PS2 All have their own share of crap games. But, It seems quite alot of developers are pumping out games only on the PS2 that are so amazingly medicore its scary.

Worst game on Xbox? Bruce Lee.

I was being sarcastic

*shakes head*

Whitestripes wrote:
> The GC has no bad games

That's a pretty bold statement there WS, sure you want to stick to it?

> Nothing on the
> PS2 or XBox can compare to walking slowly round a virtual recreation
> of a real place and picking up litter.

In the Getaway you can slowly walk around a recreation of a real place stealing cars and stuff, which dare I say it is a lot more exciting than picking up litter. But if that's your thing, there's also Theme Park World.