“Still nothing new...”
Not much has changed since Vol. 2… Nintendo is still tight lipped or maybe tight assed on any online plans they may have. Truth is it’s really starting to get to me. Why the hell would Shigeru Miyamoto say Nintendo has been running Online test of Mario Kart Cube. Then go on to say they weren’t “satisfied” with it. Umm is Satoru Iwata and company over at Nintendo puffing on blunts & drinking 40’s all day? Come on Mario Kart is like almost the most wanted online videogame in history. How could they deny gamers of that pleasure? Ah well maybe Miyamoto-san is saying these things to throw us off track. So we won’t expect what’s really coming… we could only hope that’s true. But in a recent interview held with IGN he said something that really pissed me off. “Nintendo is still at a point where we don’t currently see online games as a business model being successful.” See that’s the point what he said is true. Online console gaming hasn’t been booming as people would like to think. Think about it the Sega Dreamcast didn’t gain one bit of profit for over a year. In fact they came out with major losses that lead Sega out of the console biz. Sure there were many Sega screw-ups over the years but SegaNet was the spike in the coffin. Even now with Xbox Live getting 350.000 users that’s less than ¼ of the 4 million Xbox users in the US. And sure it’s about a half million people playing PS2 online but there’s a staggering 15 million PS2 owners in the US. So no… online console gaming isn’t what a lot of us want it to be. But why the hell would Nintendo want to wait for everyone else to make online gaming profitable and get their fare share before they do? When they in fact have the guns to make online gaming profitable on their own??? That’s exactly what I want to talk about today.
The guns...? What guns do they have? Well if Nintendo were to explore the possibilities of online gaming they have a lot of titles that can be made into truly remarkable online titles. Let’s take a look shall we?
Super Smash Bros.
This game is just self explanatory. Super Smash Bros. Melee was GameCube’s first million sellers. And you can’t name one Melee owner who wouldn’t want to smash with players across the country. Even if the game had slowdown and other problems. Gamers will simply deal with it. An easy a million users signed up to play. Throw in new characters like Pit, Wario, Toad, Isaac, & Shadow Link. And you have the prefect online fighter/party game.
Pokemon Stadium
Have you taken a glance at the sales of the recent Ruby & Sapphire? Over 4 million copies sold in fewer than 6 weeks in Japan. And almost 2 million sold stateside now. It would be complete nonsense not to include online services for the GameCube Pokemon title. Imagine battling in online tournaments & contest. Maybe even battling human controlled Gym Leaders for those badges. It would be a gold mine for Pokemon to go online. Some might say something dumb using the words “Pokemon” & “kiddie”. But guess what kids play videogames too. And I know about 50 billion who would beg their parents to death to hook their GCN up online. Yu-Gi-Who?
Starfox Armada
Imagine being able to play a squad based flight action shooter like Starfox online with players around the United States. GamersMark GCN Manager Elias Dounis who could give a crap about online gaming would most likely jump at the chance to play this game with online capabilities. It’s already rumored to have 4 player support in arcades & at home. Why not take it to the next level and go online?
Animal Crossing 2
I can see it now. Me running wildly around my town cracking random chums in the head with my Net. Man the good life. Its almost endless possibilities. Stealing peoples fruit after they shake it off the tree. Ah life would be grand. Plus I won’t have to worry about using some stupid password to trade goods with others. Having Sports Fairs, running to the store buying the best outfits from Tom Nook, & maybe even the chance to visit the Fairway Museum. I might not ever leave the house again.
Mario Kart
Meh I really hope Miyamoto-san is just screwing around with us when he said that online test of Mario Kart was not good enough. In all truth who cares what he thinks? If 50 Million people are asking for Mario Kart Online you have to put you opinion aside and give the gamers what they want. We sign you pay checks damit. But I guess that’s the Nintendo Difference right???
The Legend of Zelda
I’m going out on the deep end with this one. But for anyone who has played the addictive as hell Four Swords mini-game on Zelda for GBA can understand where I’m coming from. Imagine in Wind Waker had an Online version of The Four Swords. That would be pretty damn fun don’t ya think??? Hell maybe even new downloadable dungeons would be pretty damn nice.
Mario Tennis & Golf
Two games already rumored to be online under the name “World Smash”. I really hope that comes true because like most multi-player Nintendo games Mario Tennis & Golf is simply fun to play. Hell I hate golf and would play Mario Golf if the GCN title turns out as fun as the past versions.
Fire Emblem
I actually have a vision of how Nintendo should pull off a Fire Emblem game online. It would keep its turn based strategy RPG game play and would be a semi-MMORPG. In the Fire Emblem games you move in a party of about 10-30 characters all with different styles of combat and attributes. There’s archers, mountain units, swordsmen, knights, troubadour, shamans, dancers, Pegasus knights, wizards, and so on. But online each player would create and control each player. And try their best to make a good team with others to complete the game. It might not work out as well as it does in my vision. But you’ll never know unless you try right???
GameCube Wars
Self explanatory if you ever played any Wars title. Most recently Advance Wars has captured the hearts of many Gameboy Advance owners worldwide. Won’t it be swell if President Bush could buy a get a GameCube? Saddam could steal one. And they go head to head with GameCube Wars Online? Bush could be Sturm, Saddam Kanbei and they can settle this dispute once and for all.
F-Zero
Sadly I highly doubt this game would ever make it online. Easily a Broadband only title. Even with a high speed connection there’s bound to be slowdown. Would I care? No. Would most gamers? Yes. I think it would be a good idea to get rid of the backgrounds to minimize slowdown. But I doubt that would completely get rid of it. But F-Zero is still on the wish list.
Oh the joy it would be.
Mario Party
I’m by far not a Mario Party fan. I play with my little girl time after time. And I can say that it would be good for the younger & older players alike. When I have to travel far I’ll love to play Mario Party with my daughter no matter where I’m at.
1080: Avalanche
There is a market for an online Snowboarding game. And why not start with the best??? Most critics would agree 1080 for the N64 was one in not the best simulation snowboarding game to hit a home console. And Avalanche is shaping up to be even better. A good amount of people would praise Big N for this one. Don’t let Amped 2 beat you to the punch.
Not gonna happen.
Third Party Support
Nintendo should really start to push for the 3rd party online support. They don’t have to push for exclusive online titles (but they should). Only try to get those multi-platform games to also include online support for the GameCube version. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 would have been a good start. Hell if Activison was to re-release it with online capabilities. I think a good 90% of GCN THPS4 owners would be willing to buy the game over. Hell with 20 EA titles for 2003 get Madden 2004 online I could give a crap about a damn Gameboy Advance connection. Get those EA Sports titles ONLINE!!! On a side note I’m pretty damn surprised Capcom is putting Ghouls & Ghosts Online on the Cube.
PS2 owners been enjoying this for some time now.
Well that’s about all I can think up for now. I’m pretty sure there’s more. I could almost bet my life that even the most anti-Nintendo gamers would agree that Nintendo can pick 3 of the games mentioned and create a decent online experience. But hey keeping gamers in the dark is like many other things… “The Nintendo Difference”. And from the looks of things that will never change. On the good side after we all learn some of the secrets Nintendo keeps inside. We’re usually pretty damn happy with the outcome. We can only wish for the best this time around also.
~ditto~
