Marc, Rich, and Saul tell you why this holiday season is going to leave your wallet (or your parents' wallet) completely ruined.
Rich: Ya got to love it, the sweet smell of pumpkin pie, the rich creamy taste of eggnog and of course shopping until you've maxed out 2+ credit cards, it's the Holiday season! While the season of joy and giving is quickly approaching, game developers are scrambling to put the final touches on their various projects in hopes of cashing in on the most lucrative time of the year. And this season is certainly no different, in fact this season has some of the biggest names in gaming going head to head for gamers and their parents' hard earned money.
Although largely focused on the launch of the DS, Nintendo will still have a variety of first party software coming out by the end of the year for the GameCube, with their biggest title un-doubtfully being Metroid Prime 2. As usual they struggle with third party exclusives, but perhaps most disappointing is that the highly anticipated Resident Evil 4 has been delayed until early January, but regardless here are still a number of games worth looking into this holiday season, so let's break it down.
Marc: I'm quite pleased with Nintendo's holiday lineup. They've got great games coming, many being sequels to already established franchises that are extremely popular. We've already got Pikmin 2, Paper Mario 2 is coming soon, and the new Mario Party should sell a lot, especially considering the fact that it's got a new peripheral. Donkey Konga seems to be getting lots of attention and could be a popular game this holiday as it's quite a good party game.
Saul: I must confess that I'm mostly ignorant about the holiday offerings for both Xbox and Ps2. Other than Halo 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3, I'm not too familiar with their lineup. That said, I don't feel like I have to care either, since the GCN's lineup is full of games that will suck huge chunks of time from my life. With Baten Kaitos and Paper Mario, we have two excellent single-player titles with plenty of length. I haven't sunk my teeth into a good rpg since Golden Sun for the GBA and I'm eager to dive right in and spend about 80 hours playing through both of those. I also plan to buy Tales of Symphonia eventually, seeing as how my friend keeps gushing about how awesome it was. The other obvious must have is Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which will probably displace the original as my favorite GCN game. I'd also hate to overlook some of the excellent third party titles like Tony Hawk Underground 2, Need for Speed Underground 2, the Ubisoft games, Viewtiful Joe 2, etc.
Marc: Naturally, we've got Metroid Prime 2 Echoes leading the pack I think as it's Nintendo's biggest game since Resident Evil 4 has been pushed back into 2005. Is it going to be enough to counter Microsoft and Sony though?
Rich: As the follow up to one of GameCube's best it's understandable that Retro has a lot riding on their shoulders with Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, not to mention the unavoidable comparison with Xbox's Halo 2 which will be released one week prior. Personally this is my must have game of the holiday season, I loved the first and Retro has only seemed to make things better. With a more cinematic presentation, deeper storyline and extended gameplay, Retro certainly seems to be on the path to greatness once again.
Saul: I have already picked up Pikmin 2 and Donkey Konga, two games that prove that Nintendo can be crazy and brilliant at the same time. Both games are incredibly refreshing amidst the glut of FPS, action, and sports games that usually dominate the market.
Marc: Third party support seems to be good on all systems when considering most of the big franchises. Sure, Mortal Kombat will only be released next year on GameCube and we don't have Burnout 3 which is one of my favorite games right now, but most of the big third-party games are going to be released on GameCube.
Rich: One thing I'm particularity excited about is that the GameCube will have not one but two that's right two exclusive rpgs! Nintendo is sending Mario back to the quirky rpg world in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Developed by Intelligent Systems (Fire Emblem) this game has been getting some high marks from popular sites such IGN and Gamespot, but sadly I don't think it'll get the attention it deserves (hopefully I'm wrong though). Even more exciting in my opinion is Namco's (aka god send for rpg fans) Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, this will be their second rpg for the GameCube this year. Developed by Monolith (Xenosaga), Baten Kaitos is an epic adventure featuring beautiful pre-rendered environments and a card battling system. With relatively few rpgs coming out this season hopefully Baten Kaitos will drawn the attention of Cubers and multi-platform gamers alike. I've got high hopes for this game, be sure to check it out in November.
And what kind of lineup would it be without a couple Mario spin-offs? While I've never been a big fan of these types of Mario games (with the exception of Mario Kart of course) Mario Party 6 has definitely gotten my attention with the new form of control in the GameCube Mic. The Mario Party games are pretty popular so this one will no doubt do fine and perhaps pick up a few inquisitive gamers along the way, not a system seller by any means though. Mario Power Tennis is Camelot's latest in Mario sports and judging from the videos I've seen it looks to be quite the ace (come on gimme that one). It boasts a variety of zany game modes, but don't worry tennis fans it's got a traditional tennis mode as well.
Marc: Microsoft has already started releasing their big games too. Fable is out and selling really well, they've got Forza Motorsport which will bee up against Gran Turismo 4. Dead or Alive Ultimate looks like it could be one of the best fighting games ever, and., of course, let's not forget the sequel to the best selling X-Box game, Halo 2. This game could be the most popular one this holyday season and I don't think Metroid Prime 2 is big enough to counter Halo 2. Halo 2's release could be one of the most important game releases in videogame history. There are already huge amounts of pre-orders for this game plus many people will buy it on release day. Nintendo might have a lot of difficulty being 2nd place against Microsoft.
Sony will probably lead the lack as they always do. Gran Turismo 4, Metal Gear Solid 3, Jak 3, Ratchet and Clank, Sly 2... the list goes on and on! Most important of all though is Gran Theft Auto San Andreas. Gran Theft Auto games are the best selling on PS2 and this is Sony's big game against Halo 2. Will it be enough? Probably, and Nintendo doesn't have anything big enough to go up against this beast! Sony also has the biggest 3rd party support.
Rich: Individually, the games Nintendo will be offering all seem pretty solid but when you compare them to the likes of Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear, & Gran Turismo (and Jak, Sly, Ratchet, Killzone...) or Halo, Dead or Alive, & KOTOR II it kind of makes you wish you had more doesn't it? As far as predictions go I think the PS2 will come out on top, followed by Xbox and GameCube will straggle along somewhere behind. How far behind? That's a good question; hopefully Nintendo is planning some special bundles or maybe player's choice packs as incentives to sell more GameCubes. And Nintendo you need to lower the price of Mario Kart already.... come on!
Well I don't think much needs to be said about Game Boy Advance, it's the most successful system ever and even with the introduction of the DS I don't think much will change, I'll leave you with this equation; recent price cut + GTA advance + Zelda Minish Cap + 2 Square Enix games = money in the bank.
Marc: Nintendo cannot afford another price drop, so they'll need a killer bundle if the want to have good sales and give Sony and Microsoft a run for their money. This will probably be the last big holiday season until next-generation and everyone is going to try to make the best out of it. Is Nintendo playing its cards right? Maybe more than some might think.
Saul: Frankly, I don't see how you can be a multi-console owner and manage to keep up, unless you don't have a life outside of videogames. I own one console and I'm up to my neck in games I want to play, I couldn't imagine what I would do if I owned three consoles. Either way, my wallet and my schedule are both going to feel a firm squeeze this holiday season.
Marc: Nintendo has something that could be as big as Sony's GTA and Microsoft's Halo2: The Nintendo DS! Of course, while everyone will be pushing their games for currently established consoles, Nintendo will be releasing a new console, and since it's going to be the only new system being released this year then it might be the item to own this holiday season. I'm willing to bet that it's going to be sold out everywhere and that everyone will want to have one. With its slick look it's attractive to both younger and older people and it could help Nintendo make more money if the GameCube doesn't sell as much as they'd hope. The DS launch is going to be huge and Nintendo is betting heavily on it to make huge amounts of money. They'll probably have difficulty keeping on with demands so GBA will probably be selling a lot too. No matter what happens on the home console side of things, Nintendo still dominates the handheld market!
Sure, I haven't mentioned everything as there is too much to say, but I really think Sony will come out on top, followed by Microsoft and then Nintendo on the home console side of things. Nintendo will make up for it on the handheld side though, and that's what counts!
Another thing that Nintendo could potentially be doing, even though I don't know if that can work, is to rely on DS and GBA to have a good holiday season and then have good GC sales at the beginning of next year. If you look at their lineup for the beginning of 2005 you'll see lots of great games and since it's usually a time when not a lot of games are released, maybe Nintendo will deliver something and own the first few months of the year. Who knows!
Rich: Ya got to love it, the sweet smell of pumpkin pie, the rich creamy taste of eggnog and of course shopping until you've maxed out 2+ credit cards, it's the Holiday season! While the season of joy and giving is quickly approaching, game developers are scrambling to put the final touches on their various projects in hopes of cashing in on the most lucrative time of the year. And this season is certainly no different, in fact this season has some of the biggest names in gaming going head to head for gamers and their parents' hard earned money.
Although largely focused on the launch of the DS, Nintendo will still have a variety of first party software coming out by the end of the year for the GameCube, with their biggest title un-doubtfully being Metroid Prime 2. As usual they struggle with third party exclusives, but perhaps most disappointing is that the highly anticipated Resident Evil 4 has been delayed until early January, but regardless here are still a number of games worth looking into this holiday season, so let's break it down.
Marc: I'm quite pleased with Nintendo's holiday lineup. They've got great games coming, many being sequels to already established franchises that are extremely popular. We've already got Pikmin 2, Paper Mario 2 is coming soon, and the new Mario Party should sell a lot, especially considering the fact that it's got a new peripheral. Donkey Konga seems to be getting lots of attention and could be a popular game this holiday as it's quite a good party game.
Saul: I must confess that I'm mostly ignorant about the holiday offerings for both Xbox and Ps2. Other than Halo 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3, I'm not too familiar with their lineup. That said, I don't feel like I have to care either, since the GCN's lineup is full of games that will suck huge chunks of time from my life. With Baten Kaitos and Paper Mario, we have two excellent single-player titles with plenty of length. I haven't sunk my teeth into a good rpg since Golden Sun for the GBA and I'm eager to dive right in and spend about 80 hours playing through both of those. I also plan to buy Tales of Symphonia eventually, seeing as how my friend keeps gushing about how awesome it was. The other obvious must have is Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which will probably displace the original as my favorite GCN game. I'd also hate to overlook some of the excellent third party titles like Tony Hawk Underground 2, Need for Speed Underground 2, the Ubisoft games, Viewtiful Joe 2, etc.
Marc: Naturally, we've got Metroid Prime 2 Echoes leading the pack I think as it's Nintendo's biggest game since Resident Evil 4 has been pushed back into 2005. Is it going to be enough to counter Microsoft and Sony though?
Rich: As the follow up to one of GameCube's best it's understandable that Retro has a lot riding on their shoulders with Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, not to mention the unavoidable comparison with Xbox's Halo 2 which will be released one week prior. Personally this is my must have game of the holiday season, I loved the first and Retro has only seemed to make things better. With a more cinematic presentation, deeper storyline and extended gameplay, Retro certainly seems to be on the path to greatness once again.
Saul: I have already picked up Pikmin 2 and Donkey Konga, two games that prove that Nintendo can be crazy and brilliant at the same time. Both games are incredibly refreshing amidst the glut of FPS, action, and sports games that usually dominate the market.
Marc: Third party support seems to be good on all systems when considering most of the big franchises. Sure, Mortal Kombat will only be released next year on GameCube and we don't have Burnout 3 which is one of my favorite games right now, but most of the big third-party games are going to be released on GameCube.
Rich: One thing I'm particularity excited about is that the GameCube will have not one but two that's right two exclusive rpgs! Nintendo is sending Mario back to the quirky rpg world in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Developed by Intelligent Systems (Fire Emblem) this game has been getting some high marks from popular sites such IGN and Gamespot, but sadly I don't think it'll get the attention it deserves (hopefully I'm wrong though). Even more exciting in my opinion is Namco's (aka god send for rpg fans) Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, this will be their second rpg for the GameCube this year. Developed by Monolith (Xenosaga), Baten Kaitos is an epic adventure featuring beautiful pre-rendered environments and a card battling system. With relatively few rpgs coming out this season hopefully Baten Kaitos will drawn the attention of Cubers and multi-platform gamers alike. I've got high hopes for this game, be sure to check it out in November.
And what kind of lineup would it be without a couple Mario spin-offs? While I've never been a big fan of these types of Mario games (with the exception of Mario Kart of course) Mario Party 6 has definitely gotten my attention with the new form of control in the GameCube Mic. The Mario Party games are pretty popular so this one will no doubt do fine and perhaps pick up a few inquisitive gamers along the way, not a system seller by any means though. Mario Power Tennis is Camelot's latest in Mario sports and judging from the videos I've seen it looks to be quite the ace (come on gimme that one). It boasts a variety of zany game modes, but don't worry tennis fans it's got a traditional tennis mode as well.
Marc: Microsoft has already started releasing their big games too. Fable is out and selling really well, they've got Forza Motorsport which will bee up against Gran Turismo 4. Dead or Alive Ultimate looks like it could be one of the best fighting games ever, and., of course, let's not forget the sequel to the best selling X-Box game, Halo 2. This game could be the most popular one this holyday season and I don't think Metroid Prime 2 is big enough to counter Halo 2. Halo 2's release could be one of the most important game releases in videogame history. There are already huge amounts of pre-orders for this game plus many people will buy it on release day. Nintendo might have a lot of difficulty being 2nd place against Microsoft.
Sony will probably lead the lack as they always do. Gran Turismo 4, Metal Gear Solid 3, Jak 3, Ratchet and Clank, Sly 2... the list goes on and on! Most important of all though is Gran Theft Auto San Andreas. Gran Theft Auto games are the best selling on PS2 and this is Sony's big game against Halo 2. Will it be enough? Probably, and Nintendo doesn't have anything big enough to go up against this beast! Sony also has the biggest 3rd party support.
Rich: Individually, the games Nintendo will be offering all seem pretty solid but when you compare them to the likes of Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear, & Gran Turismo (and Jak, Sly, Ratchet, Killzone...) or Halo, Dead or Alive, & KOTOR II it kind of makes you wish you had more doesn't it? As far as predictions go I think the PS2 will come out on top, followed by Xbox and GameCube will straggle along somewhere behind. How far behind? That's a good question; hopefully Nintendo is planning some special bundles or maybe player's choice packs as incentives to sell more GameCubes. And Nintendo you need to lower the price of Mario Kart already.... come on!
Well I don't think much needs to be said about Game Boy Advance, it's the most successful system ever and even with the introduction of the DS I don't think much will change, I'll leave you with this equation; recent price cut + GTA advance + Zelda Minish Cap + 2 Square Enix games = money in the bank.
Marc: Nintendo cannot afford another price drop, so they'll need a killer bundle if the want to have good sales and give Sony and Microsoft a run for their money. This will probably be the last big holiday season until next-generation and everyone is going to try to make the best out of it. Is Nintendo playing its cards right? Maybe more than some might think.
Saul: Frankly, I don't see how you can be a multi-console owner and manage to keep up, unless you don't have a life outside of videogames. I own one console and I'm up to my neck in games I want to play, I couldn't imagine what I would do if I owned three consoles. Either way, my wallet and my schedule are both going to feel a firm squeeze this holiday season.
Marc: Nintendo has something that could be as big as Sony's GTA and Microsoft's Halo2: The Nintendo DS! Of course, while everyone will be pushing their games for currently established consoles, Nintendo will be releasing a new console, and since it's going to be the only new system being released this year then it might be the item to own this holiday season. I'm willing to bet that it's going to be sold out everywhere and that everyone will want to have one. With its slick look it's attractive to both younger and older people and it could help Nintendo make more money if the GameCube doesn't sell as much as they'd hope. The DS launch is going to be huge and Nintendo is betting heavily on it to make huge amounts of money. They'll probably have difficulty keeping on with demands so GBA will probably be selling a lot too. No matter what happens on the home console side of things, Nintendo still dominates the handheld market!
Sure, I haven't mentioned everything as there is too much to say, but I really think Sony will come out on top, followed by Microsoft and then Nintendo on the home console side of things. Nintendo will make up for it on the handheld side though, and that's what counts!
Another thing that Nintendo could potentially be doing, even though I don't know if that can work, is to rely on DS and GBA to have a good holiday season and then have good GC sales at the beginning of next year. If you look at their lineup for the beginning of 2005 you'll see lots of great games and since it's usually a time when not a lot of games are released, maybe Nintendo will deliver something and own the first few months of the year. Who knows!
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