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"Nintendo Christmas 2005"

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Tue 06/09/05 at 12:37
Regular
Posts: 18,185
For anyone that has been listening to me (so none of ya :D), will know that this Christmas I'm in a bit of a pickle regarding what, gaming wise, I should buy. My options include an X-box, an X-box 360, a DS or stick with the Gamecube and hope some titles surprise us this Christmas.

Because this Christmas is shocking... isn't it?

I'm glad to see so many Nintendo fans happy that Nintendo were willing to delay Zelda. But none of us are happy that we won't be playing it this Christmas. Yet there are 3 positives regarding the delay of Zelda:

1: The game now has the chance to be EVEN better with new ideas.
2: It gives us a reason to look forward to games on the Gamecube.
3: It gives other games this Christmas the chance to shine.

Yes there are other games and they may actually be very good. My little look at this Christmas' Nintendo titles has unveiled to me a good selection of decent software. There maybe no Pikmin 2, Metroid Prime 2 and Paper Mario 2 that stunned me last Christmas... but there is much more.


Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness

I probably won't be getting this. It is starting to look tad dissapointing. But with the news that Zelda has stepped aside, the marketing cash cow of Pokemon is more than up to the challenge of filling Link's large sized boots. It hasn't received glowing reviews but Pokemon sales have been on the up this last year and a big Gamecube release at a prime Christmas slot will mean a certain top 10 position for the game. It is far from a little gem, it won't light up our gaming world. But it'll sell. Oh yes it'll sell.

Geist

I don't care if the reviews are less than inspiring or if the graphics are far from amazing. I still feel this title has a lot to show for itself. Two reviews I have read insist that the game has a lot of clever ideas and opens up as it continues. For that reason alone, and the various 80% scores it has received, I may still get it. After all I really enjoyed Starfox Assault and that got the same score. Regardless of how good it is though, the customary adult orientated game is always nice to see around Christmas time.

Fire Emblem

With no Golden Sun as of yet we will all have to make do with Intelligent System's Fire Emblem. And as far as I am concerned I cannot wait. I am not a big RPG fan but I loved Paper mario, my favourite Gamecube game so far, and my respect for Intelligent Systems is paramount. I have never played any of the 900 Fire Emblem games that IS has released over the years and so, like Kirby, it is one of the major Nintendo franchises I've never enjoyed. I've read previews, I've watched videos... it is all very styalised and looks set to please Nintendo fans the world over. This is a game for us, it certainly won't light up the all format charts... but we'll love it all the same. I hope those who have yet to give up on Nintendo are willing to give it a shot.

Battalion Wars

Apparently, despite initial worries, this game is very very good. Like Fire Emblem it is a Gameboy series developed by Intelligent Studios... but this time it is British developer Kuju at the helm. IGN have dubbed it the sleeper hit of the season and the videos look intensely fun. Unlike Advance Wars this is not a turn based shooter, it is a real time action game and, like Fire Emblem above, a title lack on the Gamecube frontier. It is likely to appeal to a very limited group of people (it be those Nintendo fans again) but like Fire Emblem, it'll almost certain;y be one of the Gamecube's finest titles this Christmas.

Mario Smash Football, Mario Baseball and Dance Dance Mario Mix

If you include NBA Street and SSX, these 3 Mario games are the 5th, 6th and 7th Mario games released for the Gamcube this year. Nintendo rapeing their mascot??? Well sorta, but I don't really care. None of these games are made by Nintendo. Football is developed by Next Level, Baseball by Namco and Mario Mix by Konami. In fact, the traditional platformers, Mario Kart and Paper Mario aside. 90% of these Mario spin offs aren't made by Nintendo at all.

Mario being lent out to other companies does make sense. NBA street sold well, it'll almost certainly be on Nintendo systems in the future, SSX 4 will also so well. Dance Dance Mario is a clever way to persuade Konami to release its popular dancing games on a Nintendo system and as for the Baseball/football titles... well. Baseball is popular in Japan and America, Football is popular in Japan and Europe. It is a clever way to release a popular sports title in all major regions.

I care little for Baseball, it seems little more of a slower paced version of Tennis. And Dance Dance Mario will be fun but is squarely for the younger generation. Mario Smash Football has a SEGA Soccor Slam feel about it. It does look very good and the previews are glowing. Apparently the game is addictive and has a lot of depth with weaponry and aggressive tackles. With the popularity of Football over here, Europe could well have a little Mario Kart on its hands. I know I'll pick it up and Nintendo of Europe are already talking about bundling it with the system. Which, strangely, makes sense.



That is the bulk of Nintendo's releases this Christmas. And there is no denying that it is the DS owners that are the better off. But Fire Emblem and Battalion Wars looks a class act, Mario Football could really rule (unless it gets boring ala Fifa Street) and the wave of Mario games combined with Pokemon could still keep the sales going (although will never do what Zelda can).

There are more games than that though. Sonic Team is releasing an exclusive Gems collection for Nintendo fans as well as the multi-format game "Shadow the Hedgehog". EA's traditional James Bond, Harry Potter, NBA, NFL FIFA, Madden and SSX combination. Spartan: Total Warrior, Day of Reckoning 2, Prince of Persia 3, Gun, Tony Hawks, The sims, Call of Duty, True Crime (tempting), King Kong (very tempting), Need for Speed, and so on and so forth...

You know it may not be such a bad Christmas after all.

Dringo.
Sun 11/09/05 at 12:56
Regular
Posts: 3,937
Hedfix wrote:
> I think Pro Evo 4 for 10 quid will be a better purchase.

Agreed.
Sun 11/09/05 at 12:47
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
Yes, Neal.
Sun 11/09/05 at 12:08
Regular
Posts: 18,185
True, I'd only give them to someone.
Sun 11/09/05 at 02:41
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
Dringo wrote:

> And how does accidentally burning down barns and admitting to my
> folly make me less trustworthy?

Well I wouldn't trust you alone with matches.
Sun 11/09/05 at 02:15
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
I think Pro Evo 4 for 10 quid will be a better purchase.
Sun 11/09/05 at 02:00
Regular
Posts: 18,185
I'm not using my word, i'm using the word of others.

And how does accidentally burning down barns and admitting to my folly make me less trustworthy?
Sat 10/09/05 at 20:51
Regular
"bot"
Posts: 3,491
Common sense indicates that it'll be crap. And I don't burn down barns, so my word is clearly to be trusted over yours.
Sat 10/09/05 at 20:30
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Tiltawhirl wrote:
> Dringo wrote:
>
> Mario Smash Football looks c-racking.
>
> Does c-racking mean s**t?

Previews, play testers and videos indicate the opposite.
Sat 10/09/05 at 20:07
"The Will of D."
Posts: 5,643
er-no wrote:
> Prince of Persia 3.
>
> They really are rushing these games out now aren't they. Such ashame.
> The first one was so fantastic and the sequel was so fantasically
> plain in comparison.

Supposedly this one is meant to be just as good as the first, plus its got a wider area of movement than an Island or a huge castle.
Sat 10/09/05 at 18:37
Regular
"bot"
Posts: 3,491
It must, because I can think of no other logical conclusion.

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