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"GC games flurry- Short Lived?"

Every ninty in town is brimming with anticipation for the up and coming Gamecube games in the next few approaching months. November, perhaps is the month of opportunity for Nintendo game-wise this year, hopefully us ninty fans will be too wrapped in Starfox, Animal Crossing, Die hard and many others to have spirits downed by dreary weather and ever so long days at school/work. But although games may be pushed back, the list of hit Gamecube games will be spread over a period of about 4 months- SeptemberàDecember. But what happens a few months after this when we are done with the bounty received earlier? 2003 has some great opportunities, but if Nintendo pushes back games like Zelda, Soul Calibur 2 and F-Zero GC for example, I think there could be a decline in interest for the console from a neutral part or could it help the games in 2003 to be spread out so we can afford all of them.

With companies developing several games at a time, release dates are going forwards, and backwards the entire time. In my opinion both the Playstation 2 and the Gamecube are missing quite a lot of business by releasing so many games over October and November that all gamers will want. This makes it hard for the average Joe to afford all the games they desire, and if the games were pushed out over just a few more weeks, each full time Gamecube gamer could buy another game. Here’s an example. If I buy Starfox Adventures and Die Hard: Vendetta in November but I also want Mario Party and don’t have enough money for it, but then Wario World could come out and I had my heart set on that too, but have only enough money for Mario Party. By the time I have enough money for Wario World, Metroid Prime might come out, and with all the other releases, I never actually get WW, and I feel I have missed something. Long example, but I know if I had more cash I would buy Doshin and Sega Soccer Slam, but I can’t get either now. But I suppose it is only a good thing that all these hit games are being released as they are on the shelves at least for later.

You can argue that games like Donkey Kong racing and a new Super Smash Bros game will be released after this point, but in these early stages, for whatever reason the games could either not be released in the UK, or be a complete disaster. Ok, so it is not very likely that this will happen to Nintendo made games but everything has to be taken into perspective in the market which anything can happen in, as shown by Microsoft’s latest purchase. However, to someone who wants a console that will give several must have games a year and to people who are just browsing, it may seem like no great games will be launched in 2003 and after. But I read Gamecube and PS2 magazines regularly, and to be honest not a lot comes out next year that will have us foaming at the mouth. The Gamecube has some brilliant titles being released in early 2003 but by summer time; it does not look, as I will make many purchases at that time.

The other side of the coin to this is that recently, many excellent titles will be released next year. Almost all of these games will be pushed back and hopefully spread over a few months so that gamers who do not receive a lot of cash will not be in the same dilemma that you may be in now. At the moment, the following must own games look like they will come out in early- mid 2003:
Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart Online, Soul Calibur 2, Metroid Prime, Phantasy Star online episodes 1+2, F-Zero GC and 1080° White Storm and Mario Party Online (at a later date). 8 titles at least will be must have games for most Gamecube owners next year, with many more coming in the future that are in early stages of development at the moment I’m sure. A couple of these games might be relying on the introduction of online capabilities, especially Phantasy Star Online, and Nintendo will need to think about that sooner rather than later with some of those games. As for PSO, I had it on the Dreamcast and while my DC’s online capabilities were not functioning, I played the single player games a lot and it is pretty boring. Without online functions on your cube, you can level up a bit, but otherwise the game will you give you nothing that lasts very long.

In my opinion Nintendo have the best games coming out in next year from now at least and whether they can supply the gods after that is another thing entirely, but anything can happen after a year. The Xbox could die out; Bill gates could see a hairdresser or the PS3 might come out! But Nintendo usually have a plan up their sleeves, and I have no doubt that Shigsy will give the Gamecube owners the best deals and software on offer.

Cheers,


Time_Warp (:)

There's plenty too look forward to in the New Year, i'd write a list but I can't be bothered. Anyway who says you have to buy the games when they first come out? all the games are gonna have a hell of a lot of shelf life, who knows by the time you eventually have the money for them they may even have gone down in price.

Don't forget this Big Announcement Nintendo have planned.

The reason why you don't know what games are coming out after q2 2003 is that nintendo don't want people focusing on these games when they should be focusing on this years games so they don't release any details too far ahead,nothing to worry about.:D

er-no wrote:
> I have no idea what to choose though for my unclaimed GAD.
>
> Die Hard or Super Monkey Ball 2!!!
>

I am gettng both of these games, but if I were you I would claim Die Hard Vendetta.

If I didn't have a Cube for Christmas i would have bought:

Gamecube £130
Sunshine £35
Resident Evil £35
Starfox £35
SSBM £35
Memorycard £15
and an extra controller

Thats still £295 and I will never be able to get that money. But my point is

People would buy the same as me so they would get a cube for Cristmas. And Nintendo are making their Christmas rush

Good post Sam. I feel that more games with smaller intervals between each one can actually increase sales. Think about it. Some people may wait before a certain game comes out, say, Mario Sunshine for example. Then they look at the PS2's or the Xbox's release list and see a game that comes out almost the same time. What would make them buy a cube? They would look ayt the list and see many games coming out in such a short period, they would never be bored, and it would be a good investment.

:)

The idea with releasing so much before christmas is so that it's not just gamers buying games for themsleves, but people buying them for them on their behalf as gifts. ..... ..... ..... .... ....

I understand what you are saying TW. :) However you need not worry, I have had a look at the list of games in Dev for the Gamecube and the ones being released... there are about 15 that I will really want in the next 12 months! That's a huge amount of games for ones I am actually waiting for for ONE console!

I have no idea what to choose though for my unclaimed GAD.

Die Hard or Super Monkey Ball 2!!!

Argh!

Luckily, it looks like I can get Die Hard and Starfox both when they come out, with Mario Sunshine and Sega Soccer Slam preordered.

I love fairs, good ole Carnies. (:)

I can honestly say I know what you are on about.

Friday I am paying out £35 for my Mario Sunshine
Friday 1st November I pay out another £35 for Eternal Darkness
Friday 22nd I pay out another £35 for Starfox Adventures

I will only just be able to scrape that. But, the big but. The FAIR comes to town on the first Thursday in November and I will have no money for that. But luckily my Parents have big wallets to lend me some lovely English £'s