James Temperton :: Issue 116 :: 26th March 2006

Industry analysis with added bite.

The GDC is out of the way and I was dead right. Iwata did talk a lot about Nintendo's way of thinking, but he also didn't really do much to reassure the doubters. Yes, the DS is doing very well Mr. Iwata, but that doesn't mean that everything else you touch is going to turn to gold. Still, he did add a rather large tool to the company's armour; the SEGA Mega Drive.



Who'd have thought it, eh? A generation or two ago, SEGA and Nintendo locked business horns and went to war in a bid to gain industry supremacy. Since then the Dreamcast has died a rather saddening death (expect in Japan, where the occasional game is still being released, somewhat bizarrely), SEGA have gone software only and Nintendo have starting getting all touchy-feely in a bid to stop Sony exciting the 'cool' generation. The good old days are no more, but the future is looking even better.



SEGA fanboys have been salivating, chomping at the bit and jumping for joy over the last couple of days and rightfully so. The introduction of 1,000 Mega Drive titles to the Virtual Console opens up an interesting idea that I have ranted about once or twice; console syndication. Conceivably, we could be seeing SEGA Saturn, Master System and Dreamcast games on the Virtual Console. I mean why the hell not? We might even see 3DO games on it...please no.



Basically, Nintendo have the chance to bring together a whole world of retro gaming on one system. By not limiting themselves to just cataloguing their own games Nintendo are doing something quite unique. Could they create the videogaming version of the iTunes system? Sony are copying it, so it must be worthwhile. Nintendo also took the time to highlight the possibility of unique content being made available via the Virtual Console (allegedly the final name for the feature). Being quite an avid supporter of independent games development, this is a really exciting prospect. In a way it signals Nintendo embracing the Web 2.0 set of ideals, the people that use the hardware/system being able to express themselves on it. Could Nintendo really release a piece of software that allows people to develop their own games for the Revolution? Game making software would be hugely popular and surely a stroke of genius were Nintendo to implement it.







Aside from that, the GDC highlighted another very significant thing; the GameCube is a dead console walking. No matter how many times Nintendo emphasise Twilight Princess as being a GameCube title, we all know that in making it compatible with the Revolution controller they are basically signing its death certificate. The console is going to have a very long death (it has to last until about November you would imagine) but when it does die, how does one assess what it has achieved? A few big games, a few minor successes, but overall disappointing. In terms of hardware it was just a speeded up N64, a lot of the innovations were tagged on (Game Boy Player, GameCube Microphone, Bongo Drums, GBA Link-Up), and whilst some were barnstorming successes others never really took off. I get the feeling that a lot of what Nintendo were doing on the GameCube was all a bit of an experiment, some market research.



The best ideas have been carried through to the Revolution and even the DS. Touch sensitivity, voice control, link-up play, backwards compatibility and more besides. So, with one current-gen console more or less over and out the obvious next port of call for consideration and evaluation is the Game Boy. Just what is happening with Nintendo's most potent of hardware weapons? In an interview with the all-pestering-all-interviewing IGN, NOA's Beth Lleweyln said about the Game Boy "what comes next? Well, you'll have to wait and see." Bloody cryptic woman. It smells of PR (a smell not too far akin to spin, bullshit and cheese), but surely the Game Boy will be making a comeback. Were it to happen at E3 it would certainly be a big plus for Nintendo. If it were to be handled in a similar way to the Revolution (show the smallest possible amount and then hide it away until the next E3), then it could be a show-stealer for the Big N.







Then the final big (unanswered) issue of the GDC is the non-announcement of the Revolution's 'last big secret', whatever the hell that is. Nintendo are tighter than a clamped up duck's arse with constipation right now, but with the laxative effect soon set to hit, you can expect a veritable flood of delicious information to come bursting out very soon. And with that disgusting image now planted in your head, I bid you farewell.



Hound: "One Man and his dog went to a meadow, the dog got bored, ran back home and became a journo."



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