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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.
Sat 10/09/05 at 17:44
Regular
Posts: 21,800
Dringo wrote:

> Mario Smash Football looks c-racking.

Does c-racking mean s**t?
Sat 10/09/05 at 17:36
Regular
"everyone says it"
Posts: 14,738
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.
Sat 10/09/05 at 16:03
Regular
"Shizzel happens"
Posts: 199
a coldddd christmas for nintendo. fire emblem is the only one on my list.
Sat 10/09/05 at 15:08
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Rickoss wrote:
> Battalion Wars looks alright, Fire Emblem should be class (if it's
> released), Geist is meant to be crap, Pokemon XD is just going to be
> exactly the same as Pokemon Col. Others look balls.
>
> No Zelda this Xmas = crappy.
>
> Unless we get Mario Kart by then.


Battalion Wars is supposed to be great, Fire Emblem is already scheduled and XD does look like Colleseum except minus the colleseum.

Mario Smash Football looks c-racking.
Fri 09/09/05 at 19:18
Regular
"Long time no see!"
Posts: 8,351
Do you honestly think there's a chance the GameCube won't be around long enough to see out the release - and success - of The Twilight Princes?

With prices in games dropping, and of course the console itself, with the Xbox 360 and PS3 almost here, people who've often though about buying a 'Cube but have never actually comitted to the cause will now have a chance to get one for a very handsome sum.

I was never sure about the Dreamcast. Until the price was right, then I got hold of some reccomended games and it was right up there with my N64.

I'm contemplating buying an Xbox now, just because the price is nearly right. And I'm sure there are many people still the same when it comes to the Cube; those who laughed at the likes of Mario SunShine and Zelda's new (but now old) look.

The new Zelda will be that extra little push they all needed.

I'm sure Nintendo and the 'Cube's developers have the next generation already in mind, thanks to Microsoft's "last one's a rotten egg!" approach to the way the market works.

We'll see. Don't worry about a thing. You've got yours and you're happy. There's still life in it yet, there's still much to look forward to. But when have Nintendo ever been that great to us at Christmas time. :)
Fri 09/09/05 at 18:25
"The Will of D."
Posts: 5,643
Oswaldo! wrote:
> Do we really need another shed-load of triple-A titles to fill the top
> of our shopping lists this Christmas, each one costing £35 a
> pop???

Hello! This is exactly what we need and what the Gamecube needs to survive long enough for the next Zelda to be released let alone the Revolution! You may not have enough money but quite a lot of us do, plus the added bonus of it being Christmas means that if you are still living with your parents you can get them as gifts without you yourself lifting a finger into your piggybank.
Fri 09/09/05 at 17:57
Regular
Posts: 10,437
Battalion Wars looks alright, Fire Emblem should be class (if it's released), Geist is meant to be crap, Pokemon XD is just going to be exactly the same as Pokemon Col. Others look balls.

No Zelda this Xmas = crappy.

Unless we get Mario Kart by then.
Fri 09/09/05 at 17:42
Regular
"Long time no see!"
Posts: 8,351
Do we really need another shed-load of triple-A titles to fill the top of our shopping lists this Christmas, each one costing £35 a pop???

Don't know about you guys with too much free time on your hands, but I certainly dont'!

Not only have I great and growing heap of top titles still waiting to be picked up on from where I last left off, but just think of all the bargain's we'll be able to get our hands on now the "next generation" is only just around the corner - whether the 'Revolution' will be at the starting line or not.

A new game, like Killer 7, can be found for only £20. Ubi Soft classics like BG&E, XIII and Prince of Persia can be picked up £30 for the lot! The Player's Choice range is growing rather well and I even saw Metroid Prime 2 for £17.99 the other day!

Let's be honest, there's not a lot else to do at the time of the year besides getting drunk, feeling crap the next morning and then having to face up to reality once again - so why not make the most of the very best prices the Nintendo GameCube has to offer.


If there's one thing I regret most about the SNES and N64, it's all the games I missed out on, or didn't catch hold of 'til very late. Pilotwings, Shadowman, Blast Corps, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, etc.
Thu 08/09/05 at 16:09
Regular
"Divine Davine"
Posts: 799
Yup, same here. It's Kaitos.

Silly buns.
Thu 08/09/05 at 11:13
"The Will of D."
Posts: 5,643
Yes its been Baten Kaitos since the name was first mentioned in E3 03 I think, and its never changed as far as i'm aware, and I've got an english copy of the game so it's definetly right.

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