Preshow Warmup -
May 16, 2001 - Alex Annis
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed
within this column are those of the participants and the
moderator, and do not necessarily reflect those of the
GIA. There is coarse language and potentially offensive
material afoot. GameCube - 1, Xbox - 0. Don't say we didn't warn you.
I don't really know what else to say about today's E3 conferences other than "Holy crap this GameCube is awesome" and "Oh
man, the Xbox is in trouble." Though not attending E3 myself (something I've been kicking myself for all day), I did get the
chance to watch a blurry, choppy, and often too dark net stream of both the Nintendo and Sony conferences. I tried to watch
the Microsoft conference, but Windows Media Player didn't want to cooperate with me. Oh well.
| Xbox, we barely knew thee |
| Yo Alex,
I rarely swear when writing letters to this column, but my only reaction while reading today's news was, "Holy Fuck," repeated
several times over. The fact that Nintendo plans on releasing their console THREE DAYS before the Xbox is just amazing. If
they don't delay it (I'm still not convinced that they can pull this off) and the price is $250 or below (they haven't announce
price yet, have they?), then Billy can take his Box and go back to Washinton, because he's just plain screwed. Also, since I'll
officially be a poor college student by the time of the launch, I won't be getting both systems, as I may have if this happened a
few years ago. Once again, a good reason not to support Microsoft.
--The Steve
|
Nintendo really seems to have gotten their act together for the GameCube, so I doubt there will be any sort of delay, especially
since the system seems ready to go and the games are looking excellent. The three day difference between launches is very
amusing and it will definitely cripple the debut of the Xbox, due largely in part to the expected price difference. Microsoft has a
lot of publicity going for it now, but part of that is due to the fact that Nintendo hasn't really said anything up until today. With
the incredible showing they put on today, I don't see how anyone could doubt Nintendo. In fact, I believe that if Nintendo can
regain strong 3rd party support, they could be a major contender for the #1 spot again.
| Samus returns |
| One word: Metroid.
OOOOOHHHH yeah. That is defiantly somehting we need more of. Metroid was amazing, Super Metroid, also amazing.
Then, the silence untill Super Smash Bros., where the space savy Samus made a breif return, but it didn't hold a candle to my
superior Kirby skills.
At any rate, I am definatly excited about the prospect of a good old classic action adventure, and a nice refreshing non
pokemon Nintendo title.
All we need is a four player Bubble Bobble, and my gaming euphoria will be complete.
On a side note, all hail the Game Boy Advance and the idea of portable Breath of Fire
Peace,
Ray
|
| Another letter from Ray |
| And I forgot to add...
Yes, the Gamecube logo really DOES look evil,
But so do the covers to a lot of metal albums, and I just bought a few...justcuz it's gonna be evil, doesn;t mean it has to be bad.
Peace,
Ray
|
Like a lot of other people out there, I have definitely missed Samus since she went into hiding after Super Metroid. I really
hoped she would make it onto the N64, but perhaps the wait was worth it, as we're getting both Metroid Prime for the
GameCube and Metroid 4 for the GBA. Releasing two games is a nice way of making up for keeping her in the shadows for
so long.
As a side note, I really liked her in Super Smash Bros. Not because I ever used her, but because fighting a team of three level
nine Samus' was the only way to train to be the ultimate champion.
| More talk of evil |
| Hey, I have to say I reflect your feelings on this topic. Actually, it was a friend of mine who originally wrote in on this topic
after we decided together that the 'Cube's logo looked like that of an evil corporation (my idea was "SINACORP: The Sinful
Corporation"). Anyway, while the logo does a lot to push this idea, I think Yamauchi's comments themselves are the main
giveaway.
Specifically, I'm talking about when our senile friend from across the larger, western pond said "if the GameCube is not
received well at E3, our strategy will be compromised, and that will cause a serious blow to our plans. We may even have to
consider pigeonholing the sale of GameCube." Now, perhaps I'm the only one here, but well, that sounds like a very thinly
veiled threat of 'Cube-related military action. It's like when people within the government stage a coup d'etat, or better yet, it's
like the Battle of Troy. My belief is that Yamauchi plans to coax the world into accepting the Gamecube, and then after one is
sitting in each of our houses, they'll act as a Trojan Horse of sorts. Opening our homes and Best Buys to Nintendo, they will
allow Nintendo to take over the world (though I'm not sure exactly how yet), thus bringing Emperor Yamauchi, or
Neo-Caligula, to power. But that's just what I think.
SINACORP WILL CRUSH YOU.
|
If SINACORP will let me get a few rounds of Super Smash Bros. Melee in before it crushes me, than it can stomp away.
| No longer a boy toy. Wait a minute... |
| Alex,
I've been waiting for this day for a very long time. I can now laugh in the face of anyone who thinks that the GameCube will be
"kiddy."
I think Nintendo has finally found the delicate equilibrium between games targeted toward a younger audience and those aimed
at the older demographic. For every Pikmin there is an Eternal Darkness. For every Donkey Kong Racing, there is a Raven
Blade. For every Luigi's Mansion, there is a Too Human, or Wave Race: Blue Storm, or Kameo, or.... must I go on?
The "Nintendo Difference" is truly becoming a reality. They are finally poised to regain the market, and they are playing all the
right cards at all the right times. It's only a matter of time...
--Espyonage, kin to the demented little monkey from Monkey Balls
|
Like I said earlier, Nintendo has put itself in the position of being able to reclaim control of the console war, assuming they are
able to keep the GameCube on track for its release date while bringing back 3rd party support. The "Nintendo Difference" is
also a good example of how the company is moving forward in a positive manner. Nintendo has admitted to the mistakes that
were made in the past, and now the necessary changes are being implemented. It's really a nice sign of growth and expansion
in the company, and it has helped restore my faith in Nintendo.
Another thing about the lineup of titles announced thus far is that not only are their opposites for each title, like Pikmin and
Eternal Darkness, but all of the titles follow at least a few of the four guidelines established by Nintendo. Luigi's Mansion is a
perfect example. The concept of just traveling through the mansion with a flashlight to scare ghosts away is awesome, and from
the conference display it looks like a ton of fun. The use of Luigi is also nice, as Mario has been getting all the credit for so
long. However, just because Nintendo has changed the formula a bit doesn't mean it strays from the idea people get when they
think of a Mario Bros. game.
| A little bit of everything |
| Agent,
I will write about any darn subject I choose....regardless of the hammer dammit!
Ohmigod....MGS2 is going to be a lil piece of gaming goodness. Hell, its so damn confusing ( GOOD confusing) right
now with Solid Snake, Liquid/Ocelot, Solidus, and Ninja running around my head...but this game will "single-handedly hand the
asses of all games to them" period. I mean, who wants to see screens of the new ninja already? Now with that said...
I want to talk about Nintendo's new strategy of late. To me, how Nintendo is apologizing for the N64 is hilarious. To point out
all its mistakes and apologize for them must be a japanese thing. But for the coming of the cube'....(I hate how that
sounds...must wash mouth later) Nintendo is obviously suggesting that they are starting fresh....but are they? Comeon, aside
from Pikmin, all they are doing is slapping on more polygon counts to their franchises....like Capcom. We want some more
innovative games that stray far from the baby games. What is the Nintendo difference? Quality....franchise and heritage? Soon,
the franchise thing will run out and the sequels will die. How many sequels, cross-overs, gaidens, adventures can actually come
from the old plumber? (no, I don't hate Nintendo but if I could stir some counter-points from the letters, I can see more of
nintendo's strategy.)
Xbox is freaking me out with the immense games they are getting....so how much is ol' Bill Gates worth now?
As many can tell, I have Sony on the brain. But I am trying to not get into the console war. Its about the games people and
games are everything. So why does Microsoft have Metal Gear X huh? And Dino Crisis, and Onimusha? Argh, Xbox is
slowly taking over...is anyone paranoid about that? But fear not true-believers, if Sony makes a pact with the devil or Nintendo
actually reaches Enix or Square (YAY!) the world will be saved.
Please post my letter, I fear it would be late....but it is my first letter.
A man called Hero, who would eat a leafer in FF6. Or a pokemon. Or a plumber.
|
Metal Gear Solid 2 is without a doubt the title I'm most looking forward to hearing about at E3 this year. I was ecstatic when
the movie started to play at the Sony conference, but that joy quickly turned to anger when the stream become much more
steady, but the picture darkened to the point where I couldn't make out much of anything. Anyone talking to me at that point of
time heard quite a few naughty words.
To me, the apology meant that Nintendo has learned that they can't control the direction of the industry like they had seemingly
wanted to do with the N64, and that the fans will determine how the industry moves along. While games like Donkey Kong
Racing have no appeal to me, the rest of their lineup seems rather fresh and innovative. Luigi's Mansion looks very unique and
was far more impressive than I thought it would be, Star Fox Adventures seems pretty interesting, and Super Smash Bros.
Melee looks to do everything the original did but with better graphics and more characters, which is fine by me, as I don't think
I could ever grow old of the original.
The Xbox won't take over. Sony has established itself nicely with the PlayStation 2, and the GameCube is going to rock
Microsoft's world.
| You stole my disclaimer line |
| And the award for the creepiest sounding game name goes to...
Sega!
Honestly, who wants to buy a game entitled Monkey Balls? I mean, Seaman only really attracted easily amused college
students. ...what will Monkey Balls do?
It sounds like something your grandfather would do in angry boredom. "What are you doing, Grandpa?" "Monkey Balls."
Furthermore, based on the name-image correlation between Seaman the name, and Seaman the character, I am really
dreading finding out more about Monkey Balls. Hopefully, it will have no similarity in shape to a couple of slimes from Dragon
Warrior.
Now I feel unclean.
-Alex-Jon, still waiting for people to notice his hyphen, and how superior it makes him to un-hyphenated Alexes.
|
Your hyphen does nothing for you, which should be evident since your letter pretty much agreed with what I was saying
yesterday, and I (along with everyone else) had already made the Seaman/Monkey Balls connection. So there. And I would
love to own a copy of Monkey Balls, if not to play, than to use as a coffee table discussion piece.
| Tomorrow's Topic |
| I'll be taking over the column tomorrow, and I'd like people to send me email on whatever questions they have about the
conference itself - not questions on what's being shown so much as what it's like from a first person point of view. This is my
first E3, so I'd like to act as a standin for other people who haven't been to the conference before. I'll try to find out anything
and everything I can, within reason. See you tomorrow.
-Chris
|
Well, there's not much else to say, other than be sure to write to Chris.
Closing Comments:
Well folks, I'm afraid my time here as Double Agent has come to an end. It's been an enjoyable and interesting 8 days, believe
me, and I thank you all for you letters. As many other DA subs have said before me, I'd just like to say that this is a tough
position, and Chris and Drew do an excellent job with it. It's really something you have to try before you realize how difficult it
can be. While I'm on the topic of people doing excellent jobs, I'd like to mention how incredible the E3 coverage has been so
far. Everyone on staff has done a superb job of getting everything together, from the flood of news today to all the previews
leading up to the big show. It's really amazing to me that everyone can combine their efforts so well for this, and I'm proud to
be a part of it.
Well, that about wraps things up here. Be sure to write to Chris. I suppose it's time I head back to my home on the message boards. Later everybody.
Alex Annis, kicking himself for not attending E3
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