2001 Rants

JACE ON GAMECUBE

I don’t know about you, but to me, the release of a new Nintendo console is something of an epoch making event. For over a year I have been desperate to see what the big N could deliver to rival the PS2 or Xbox. Finally, having been sent just one hour after release, I got hold of my Gamecube on Tuesday. The past three days have been something of a blur. I suppose I should start at the aptly named, start. The outer box for Gamecube is rather smaller than you have previously imagined, and once opened you find everything very neatly packed inside. Pulling the console from its polythene bag for the first time provided some surprise, as the GC is so small and cute, it makes the N64 look like a 3DO. Actually, I remember when I first got the N64, I commented how much nicer the unit was compared to the Snes. Anyway, this purple pouch of power certainly does look lovely. I assume like most new owners, I delighted in swinging it around using the carrying handle. I popped the lid open a few times, marvelled at the tiny joypad ports, then flicked open the lids on all the expansion ports underneath.

Next out of the box was the joypad, eager to find out why it had recieved such applause at E3. Certainly the Gamecube pad fits snugly in your hand, its controlls laid out in an instantly intuitive configuration. Interestingly, the trigger Z button has moved to the back of the controller, just above the analogue shoulder buttons. While far easier to handle than the N64 pad, the revolution between digital and analogue control it brought with it can not be replicated by just making things neater. Therefore the Gamecube pad, while comfortable, is not going to change the way you interact with your games. Force feedback analogue thumb sticks have got to be the next evolutionary development, though probably one too expensive for Nintendo to take.

Ok, pad explored, time to check the rest of the box for stuff. The machine has an external power supply, unlike PS2 or Dreamcast. This helps make the console smaller, but is less convenient if taking the console out and about. Like previous Japanese Nintendo releases, the machine comes with no TV connection cable, though thankfully uses the same output socket as both the Snes/SFC and N64. One interesting note is the instructions. News hot from Japan reports that there are two versions of the manual, with the difference centering around the memory card directions. The majority of directions show details using a picture of Luigi’s Mansion, however, the very first batch of units uses a picture of the mysterious Mario 2001. I was delighted to find that my instructions include the rarer pictures.

Ok, enough of the contents of the box, time to plug it in and see what it does. Once powered up, the machine hums into action. Since the birth of Dreamcast, internal fans are something we have grown used to inside our games consoles. The Gamecube logo paints itself onto the screen using a neat tile effet. The accompanaing music seems rather sinister for a leisure item. Once the opening sequence is complete, the screen warps into a hovering cube. This is spun between six positions, each face allowing you to select a different task. Memory card authoring, Time and date, screen settings, all pretty ordinary stuff. Putting one of the tiny, and incredibly cute, 3” disks into the unit allows you to select a game.

GAMECUBE - The Conclusion

I don’t recall ever being so excited for a console release, in many ways the anticipation has been more rewarding than the realisation. While the N64 really did break boundaries on its launch, with the seminal Mario 64, the Gamecube has no such game to move us all

JACE ON XBOX

It has take some time, but finally i’m ready to give an opinion on Microsoft’s Xbox. You’ve probably all given in and formed your own opinions by now. You’d have every right to, after my last slagging off of the format, you probably thought I wouldn’t get one. Unfortunately for my wallet, that just isn’t possible. There is a time in a gamers life when he must have every new console which comes out, no matter what his initial opinion. The advantage of the delay in writing about the format, is that I have already seen everyone elses opinion, and can point to many miss-guided views on the machine.

Ok, let’s get it over with, i’m not about to rip the console to shreds. After all the delays and sell out sales, I finally got my console a few weeks ago, and while I imagined something the size of a betamax video recorder, in reality the Xbox is pretty compact, not much bigger than a 3DO. All the controls are at the front, which makes you wonder why the top of the unit is slightly curved, prohibiting you stacking it under your digital TV reciever. (mine pretty much matches it for width). Other gripes have to be the need for an adaptor to play DVDs. This is little more than a piece of plastic casing and a remote control, and highlights Microsoft’s ambition to go with the flow, and charge for extras where ever possible. Also there is no optical output for digital sound, so the hyped Dolby Prologic 2 sound spec can only be obtained with yet more extras.

What about the front end I hear you cry. Imagine a bunch of green shapes morphing into more green shapes, then a big green logo sitting in the middle of the screen, with green option buttons and green background effects and you’ve pretty much got it. For some reason the start up sequence looks tacky, all the finesse of Mortal Kombat. It certainly fails in comparison to it’s rivals, the ambient alien world of the initial PS2 start up has become a somber icon of current gaming culture. Meanwhile Gamecube’s tiled logo flips down in suitable Nintendo style, accompanied by a tune which while almost scary, has a sense of optimism for the game about to be played. Sega’s Dreamcast presented itself far better than Xbox, actually, so did the Saturn. While the Xbox’s options are clear and easy to use, it’s the Kickstart 1.3 (remember those fingers on that hand, who the hell drew that!!) of the bunch.

Onto the controller. It seems i’m turning this into a battle of three consoles already, and when it comes to these devices it is hard not to compare. Xbox controllers aren’t as bad as they look, while they are big, the controls are solid and the unit is obviously well made. The internal motors are more powerful than usual too, with game events sometimes almost shaking them out of your hand. As much publicised in the games press, the cables are long, and have clip open plugs on them, so if someone trips over them, they won’t pull your Xbox along the floor. If we were entering into a one horse race, i’d say these controllers are pretty good, more than adequate, but it will take a long time for them to build the familiarity of the Playstation’s groundbreaking handsets. Then the pair of them can’t hold a torch to the Gamecube controllers. I sometimes sit just holding an unplugged Gamecube controller, marvelling at how the plastic molds itself into every part of my hand. Yes, that is the kind of life I lead.

23rd November 2001

A Load of X-B(ol)ox

There is so much to rant about today, my head has been brewing for weeks about the many things I have wanted to say about the current state of the games scene. Today this column really lives up to its name, this is without doubt a Rant. Now, is it me, or the entire world that has gone mad. I’m talking of course about XBox. On paper this is the most powerful console on the planet.

Ok, fairly interesting fact, but lets be honest, if the PS2 is a Porche, the Gamecube a Ferrari, then the Xbox is a Ferrari with a slightly bigger ash tray. Before I continue, I should say that I have yet to recieve my Xbox console. This is my fault, as I never thought for one minute the console would sell out, so avoided the US pre-order system. Microsoft promise a hundred thousand consoles a week to US stores during the build up to Christmas, so it won’t be long till my console is purchased. Those of you who know me, will appreciate the excitement with which I greet each new console release. This time round, I am very unexcited. Now, even my dog knows that a new games machine needs killer titles to sell it. The lead title for Xbox is Halo by Bungie, originally intended for the PC, and looking like yet another revamp of Quake or Unreal Tournement. Sure, there are vehicles in there, but if it plays as un-inspiringly as the demo looks, then Xbox is in for a rocky ride. Next up, Dead or Alive 3, which looks far better than previous incarnations. However, beat-em-up fans have always prefered Tekken/Soul Calibre, or Capcom fighting games, or even Virtua Fighter. The third incarnation of the fourth most popular beat-em-up series isn’t really going to cut the mustard.

Next, Abes Odyssey, a game which certainly did gather a following, because of its new take on 2D platforming, a genre which had at the time been forgotten in favour of 3D game worlds. Ironically, Abe’s new adventure has been pushed into a 3D game world, and while the graphics look nice, it has robbed the series of its individuality, and forced it into competition with the likes of Nintendo and Rare. That’s one battle it simply won’t win. The fourth Microsoft launch game is Project Gotham Racing, a revamped version of Bizarre Creation’s MSR on Dreamcast. MSR is a great game, and true driving fans will already have that version, so why would they justify buying a whole new console, just for an update. I almost feel sorry for Bizarre Creations, MSR didn’t get the recognition it deserved, partly thanks to initially released bugged versions, then the demise of Dreamcast. But then, how could I forgive them for Fur Fighters!

Ok, the last Microsoft game is Amped, a snowboarding game. If anyone in the game producing community is reading this, Snowboarding is done now, please don’t release any more of these games. 1080 on N64 set the precident, and Cool Boarders provided a similar experience on the Playstation. From there, about a hundred Snowboarding games were pushed onto every available format, each offering virtually the same gaming experience. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I for one, never want to play another Snowboarding game again. The rest of the catalogue of games available includes updates of PS2 games, and many other predictable releases. The bottom line is, no killer ap!! Ah, I hear you cry, look at the PS2 launch, Timesplitters, SSX and Ridge Racer! Ok, I got your point, but the PS2 always had the promise of great games, right from the outset. Gran Turismo 3 and Metal Gear Solid 2 were enough to persuade the majority of gamers that they needed a PS2, maybe not today, maybe not tommorow, but soon. I turn to the official XBox Launch magazine. They preview every single game announced for the machine, that’s a total of 114 titles. I have never felt so disheartened with the games industry until I flicked through those countless pages of dross and conversions of games which should never have been released. I could print a list of over fifty games from that launch prospectus which simply should be canned, right now. Cut your losses, and ditch them. We don’t need another cute kart based racing game, we don’t need another seventeen Tomb Raider style games, or car games where the only aspect you can highlight as original is realtime damage. We don’t need two cute characters taking part in a jolly running race accross a multi level track. I’m going to say something which the industry may well find interesting,

ALL THESE GAMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE. I don’t know how the games designers who work for these companies can stop themselves from laughing everytime they get paid. There is zero originality in anything they come up with, so how can they retain their jobs. I could out design these so called games designers with my eyes closed and my arms chopped off, and I haven’t written a game since the mid-eighties. It’s pretty easy really, Gamers want originality, they want surprises, humour, maybe even freedom. I’m losing it aren’t I, hopefully you can realise how dissapointing the release list for Xbox is.

The problem is pretty easy to work out. Microsoft is an American company, and has promoted the idea of America returning to the top of the gaming pile. Hence, American games, by the bucket load. Now, no offence to my American friends, but you just don’t get great American games. Not any more. The high point of American game design died in the ashes of Atari. Those great minds who came up with the likes of Robotron, Tempest, and Defender either no longer make games, or are not provided with the resources to come up with games for the new millenium. Of course, i’m not writing off every American game, there are a few guys who are putting out stuff which really does break the mold. It just doesn’t seem that any of those guys are working on Xbox stuff. Microsoft would be quick to point out that they have Japanese support. Ok, Soul Calibre 2 is coming out on the console, but everyone elses console too. Sega may have chosen Xbox for the release of Jet Set Radio 2, but not till next February. They can count on European conversions too, but for their original games, they’ve got to look to themselves to provide it. It’s somewhat unfathomable that a huge monolithical company like Microsoft decides to enter the console market, and the best they can come up with is Halo. If i’d told you that three years ago, you’d have laughed.

One final point, before I explode. In the Xbox launch magazine, it describes the controller as having force feedback. A small swell of excitement built up inside me, as I hadn’t realised the controller was to be so advanced. Imagine my dissapointment when I read that what the magazine actually meant was that the controller rumbled, like the Gamecube/PS2 controllers. A small note, Force Feedback controller, means a motorised joypad, which would stiffen against your actions according to action on screen. For example, if pushing a block of stone in a game, the joypad would stiffen as you pushed against it. Now, that’s groundbreaking on consoles (you can get those type of controllers for PCs), but in reality this feature is not included. Of course, this is all a bit harsh on Microsoft. They are new to the console gaming scene and should be given a chance to show what they can do. I make this point partly because I recently saw the movie Anti-trust, and don’t want to be found battered to death in front of my laptop. Well, I feel a little better for getting that off of my chest. I will give you all a true picture once i’ve got my machine. Let’s hope my fears are not all valid, and this isn’t the 3DO for the new millenium.

15th September 2001

So here we are, getting ready to welcome a new batch of games consoles into our homes. As I write, my Gamecube, dispatched within an hour of release, is currently winging its way to me. Over the past six months I have thought of little else other than Nintendo’s shiny new console, but with the tragic events in the US this week, my enthusiasm has been severely dampened. As gamers we have all had some experience of bombing targets, and destroying buildings, with never a thought to the consequences of our actions. Of course, this is just simulation, we have no need to think about the effects of what we are doing, as there will of course be no effects. To watch events in the US unfold this week before my very eyes, the dreadful reality of what incidents like this actually cause shocked me to the core. It now seems that the people responsible for the devastation learnt how to fly using aircraft simulators, where, like when us gamers raid an enemy base, their actions had no actual effect.

The supposed social problems of cross over between simulation and reality is something gamers have argued against for years. Perhaps now these anti-videogame lefties finally have something to argue with. The scenes we saw have been compared to the effects in movies, and countless games of the past have used the destruction of buildings as an interesting twist to the plot. A roster of Hollywood films have now been dropped by their producers due to lightly related themes, you have to take it for granted that videogames, which by their very nature offer a far more interactive approach to their content, will suffer the same moral censorship.

In the past I would have always stood up for videogames, and perhaps while senseless destruction has long been a theme, with the current levels of graphic realism, a move towards more light hearted themes could may well benefit the industry as a whole. It may be foolish to think games companies will dump destructive genres of old in favour of new kinds of gameplay and ingenious concept titles, but I'm sure there are a few of us who would like to see it happen. I can assure all our American readers, that our thoughts are with you.

GAMECUBE - The wait is almost over

Nintendo are often panned in the press for aiming their games at a younger audience. The irony is that Nintendo are the most collected videogame company in the world. Atari you may think are more collectible globally, and I would agree that most serious collectors will concentrate on Atari too, but with the Jaguar being their last console, and having a limited number of games released for it, Nintendo win in the continuity stakes. Collectors don’t particularly care for Atari Computers either, leaving a big gap in Atari fan’s collections. Sure, you’ve got the VCS with it’s 1500+ titles, and then the 5200, 7800, maybe even the XE console, but then a long gap to the Lynx and Jaguar. The other major Atari stumbling block is no central character. Nintendo of course has Mario, and a whole menu of other stars. It is estimated that there are now 2500+ Famicom/Nes titles in existence. The SFC/SNES is already hugely collectible, then there are Game & Watch, and Gameboy games.

Everything is kind of linked, aesthetically, and kind of emotionally. Destined to become an even bigger collectible is the Nintendo 64. In Europe the machine sold pretty poorly, and those without access to the Internet would be forgiven for thinking only a handful of games come out for the format every year. The truth is quite different, with hundreds of different US and Japanese releases now finding homes with collectors. Not only is the N64 home to classic Nintendo and Rare titles, but cult producers like Treasure (Go Go Troublemakers/Sin & Punishment) and Camelot (Mario Golf/Tennis) have made the machine their home. More importantly, the N64 is the last major solid state cartridge based console. Collectors love cartridges, the instantaneous play value, the cute chunk of plastic with it’s own artwork, the bright colours and variations. With only the Gameboy remaining as a cartridge based format, you have to wonder if future generations will look upon your N64 carts, like youngsters look at vinyl LPs today. Nintendo didn’t really have much choice, the main reason for publishers dumping the N64 was thanks to the lack of disk based storage. This time Nintendo are still being clever. While XBox and PS2 have opted for standard DVD Rom storage, Nintendo have yet again invented their own format, tiny 3” disks for which they will of course retain tight production rights.

All the signs are that Nintendo have got it right this time, the E3 show earlier in the year showed unprecedented public support for both the company and their new console. Perhaps even more importantly, the price is right, undercutting both its rivals and aiming itself squarely at the mass market. Three games accompanied the Japanese launch, Luigi’s mansion, Wave Race, and Super Monkey Ball. All three have downsides. Luigi’s mansion looks amazing, but it has been produced very quickly, and there are rumors of shallow gameplay. Wave Race was an amazing game on N64, and a new one is something of an exciting prospect. However, development has been out of house, with only sporadic input from Nintendo HQ. Finally, Super Monkey Ball is by Sega, and promises to be a quirky and playable take on the marble madness genre. While bound to be a quality title, hardly the eye popping killer app required for the launch of next generation hardware. Of course, these are all just pointers, the reality could be completely different. As soon as my Gamecube arrives, I'll give you the low down on what the three games are really like. My palms are getting sticky just at the thought of it. (Gamecube that is :o)

1st August 2001

Two rants in one this time, I did write one previously, just didn’t upload it. Now, that’s just plain stupid! It’s been a slow summer, a few lack lustre games, and lots of complaining they aren’t how they said they’d be. It’s at times like these, i’m glad i’m a retrogamer. Still there have been some good games, the Dreamcast still has what it takes, and GT3 is enough to get anyone’s pulse racing.

9th June 2001

DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE BIG BOYS

So the stage was set at this years E3 show, for the biggest showdown of the gaming giants for about five years. It’s a story about four companies. The first, the domineering Sony, firmly in control of the worlds videogame industry, and demonstrating how firmly it hopes to tighten its grip. The second, Microsoft, flexed it’s muscles on the smallest stand of the four, trying to convince the dissbelievers it was ready to put Sony in it’s place. Third is Japanese rival Nintendo, who eschew the Western way of selling games consoles, instead concentrating on ingenuity and quality of product. Finally the old rival, Sega, with a powerful barrage of videogames, ready to hop on board with whoever dominates the market. In fact, Microsoft’s biggest weapon was it’s new found friendship with Sega, and you can’t help but wonder how much money has changed hands between the two to become friends.

Sony apparently used E3 to demonstrate it’s next generation of software, yet what they showed was more of the same PS2 fodder, the biggest draw being Gran Turismo 3, yet again. In my view, Gran Turismo 3 is the main reason Sony have had any PS2 sales to date, yet the game still hasn’t been released. While i’m sure it will be a big seller, Sony are taking a big risk allowing the success of their console to rest so heavily on the shoulders of a single game. Microsoft were the company who really needed to make an impression at E3, the others already have their followers, and the industry is even harder to crack today than when Sony entered seven years ago. X-Box’s biggest problem is that it is American .This makes cracking the East even harder, and without support in Japan they are going to find it hard to lure the Japanese software producers to release games on the format. It’s not that American games are bad, actually, no it is that American games are bad. Microsoft make some nice PC Games, but console games are something quite different. I’m sure EA and Aklaim will cater well for the US market with sports games, but it’s with originality that the next battle will be won. What Microsoft did show failed to impress, and observers would argue that the X-Box showing at E3 actually did more damage to the format than good.

Sega spread their new found freedom liberally between it’s competitors. Gamecube gets Sonic Team games, which must surely be the greatest prize, Sony and Microsoft get arcade games and updates of older titles. Sega fans it seems are going to have to buy all three formats to get their fair share of titles, as each seems to be released exclusively. X-box gets Jet Set Radio Next, and PS2 gets Crazy Taxi 2. The net result should be that Sega build themselves back into the monolithical company they once were. The final company in the battle is of course Nintendo. Legendary president Mr Yamauchi announced before the show, that if the Gamecube failed to make an impression, then the whole project would be scrapped. Of course, the hoards of gamers hailed Miyamoto like a god as he marched onto centre stage with Nintendo’s “new baby”. The games they showed are the most impressive of any console to date, and six titles were promised for the US launch. The Japanese launch has since been confirmed, with only two games available. While I cherish Nintendo, and would happily buy the Gamecube if its insides were nothing more than a SNES, they have much work to do if they are to fulfill their promises. While hardcore gamers would cross the globe to buy the latest Nintendo game if they had to, the casual mainstream gamers don’t care about promises. They need games, on time. The US is no longer the biggest market for videogames, so how about Europe gets the support it needs, then you can grow even bigger, and bring out even more of those amazing games.

17th April 2001

GAMEBOY ADVANCE IS HERE

It took a whole three days after the official Japanese launch of Nintendo’s new handheld for me to finally get hold of one. It could have been far worse if it wasn’t for the great efficiency of the Japanese EMS postage service. I was lucky enough to play with a Gameboy Advance at last years ECTS show, where early versions of Mario Kart Advance and Wai Wai Racing served to wet the appetite. While we have to wait a little longer for Mario Kart, it’s Wai Wai Racing which does most to show the true capabilities of Nintendo’s new machine. I’ll come to the games in a moment, though it is hard to convey what is so good about the machine without taking their technical merits into consideration. I’d imagine there aren’t many people reading this who haven’t seen what the GBA looks like, but just in case, the screen has been moved to the middle of the console, with controls moved to either side, much the same as the Wonderswan.

Considering that Nintendo have always maintained the play position of controls below the screen on previous GB incarnations, this in itself is a rather unusual decision. It does however acknowledge the vast difference between the GBA and a regular Gameboy or Gameboy color. The GBA is also far lighter than previous versions, and taking into account the new 32-bit processor, it’s a minor miracle that battery life seems to have been increased. The rest is pretty standard, a headphone socket, volume control, and simple start and settings buttons. If there is one drawback with the machine, it is the amount of light required for the screen. You won’t be playing this in a badly lit room. I’m sure there will be worm lights and other contraptions released for the machine, but after the exceptional Gameboy Light, a Gameboy pocket with backlit screen released only in Japan, you’d have thought Nintendo would have incorporated that technology in their new screen. Let’s face it, it is a far better solution than some light on a spring poking out the top of the unit, and if they are really worried about the increased battery consumption, they could have included a switch to turn it off, like on the GB Light and Atari Lynx Mark 2. Still, enough of the gripes, what about the games.

CONCLUSION

So, there it is, the greatest handheld console we have ever had. Amazing speed, great quality screen, and enough memory on board the half-size cartridges to add great music and textures. Already there are developers working on FPS and RTS games, and Nintendo and Konami have a veritable barrage of new titles on their way for the format. Another exciting feather in GBA’s cap is the backing of Sega, with Chu Chu Rocket Advance already available, and lots more games promised. I’m personally very excited by Cinemaware’s resurrection, and it’s new version of Wings, one of the true Amiga classics, for the format. Having seen the hardware, I now believe that not only are these previously handheld unfriendly genres now possible, but the power is there to do them justice. In the war between Gameplay and Commerciality, Gameplay just got a big fat point. Well done Nintendo.

10th March 2001

DEATH OF DREAMCAST

Should we really be pleased about the death of Dreamcast? That’s certainly the way Sega have spun the story in the press. Those of you who got a Dreamcast for Christmas must feel sorely treated, however Sega promise another fifty games for the format yet, and with the delights of Phantasy Star Online and Daytona 2001, there are certainly still a few reasons to have one. However, it’s the bigger picture which is more scary. It’s a long time since Sega first stepped into the games console world, with the Japanese SG1000. Some may not realise that Sega beat even Nintendo to the punch with what was the first mainstream cartridge based console in the territory. I say mainstream, but the huge success of Nintendo’s Famicom left Sega helpless at home. It wasn’t until the Mastersystem gathered some success in the US and Europe that the tide began to turn. Sega have always had a hard time in their home territory, the Sega Saturn sold more in Japan than the Megadrive did, but elsewhere the Megadrive held firm against the wrath of the Snes, to many people’s great surprise.

The Dreamcast has been far from a flop, the biggest UK launch of any console up until PS2. Lack of third party support has meant Sega have had to pull out all the stops to create a flow of triple A titles, which quite honestly they have managed to do. Without doubt the Dreamcast has the best range of quality titles at the moment, particularly when you consider the current dross being pumped to market for PS2. It is the evidence of this stark contrast between software for the formats which has left other PS2 developers gasping for air. The thought of all those Sega in-house development crews writing titles for PS2 may well put some of them out of business. Rumors have it that most concerned are market leader, Electronic Arts. Ironically it could be argued that EA’s insistence on ignoring the Dreamcast format has forced Sega to ditch the format too, and become a direct competitor to them.

More rumors say that Sega have fifty titles in the works for the PS2 and Gamecube too. At the end of the day, the truth has to be that gamers don’t buy a Sega console because of it’s technical features, they buy it to play Sega games. I was horrified when I heard the news that the Dreamcast died, but now i’m excited. The thought of a rebuilt Sega, capable of bringing out even more high profile and inventive games, without the heavy cloud of expensive hardware production hanging over their heads. Good luck Sega.

NINTENDO ADVANCES - ALMOST

With Sega departing from the console war, perhaps we should wait with baited breath to see how Nintendo’s Gamecube will fare against the PS2. Perhaps they too would benefit from having the weight of console production lifted from their shoulders. Of course, as a self confessed Nintendo-ite, I truly hope the opposite is true, and the might of NCL crushes the dreaded PS2 and X-box, uniting gamers and bringing games even bigger than our imaginations can conjure. You may not be aware that the Playstation is not the biggest console in the UK, it is in fact the Gameboy, which is still selling over a hundred thousand units every month.

Pokemon may be the main reason for this current Indian summer for the machine, but Nintendo are gearing up to release the Gameboy Advance on the 21st of March in Japan. There is some great news, the multi-player games do not necessarily require two cartridges to play them in link up mode. The new machine is being aimed at a far more link friendly angle, with games downloading their software into other machines through the cable. This is possible thanks to 2mb of flash ram inside the machine. Unfortunately, 2mb isn’t enough to make every game linkable. Of the initial batch of games for example, F-Zero and Mario Bros Advance both offer one cart link up options, but promise more levels in multi-play mode if you have more than one cartridge.

Alternatively, RTS game Napolean doesn’t allow one cart link play at all. Add to this the fact that the first third part releases are failing to even implement the one cart link option on their games, such as Konami’s Mario Kart style Racing game, and Namco’s Mr Driller 2. It’s all sounding like a bit of a mess isn’t it. What started out as a great incentive to buy the machine is starting to sound like it could be dogged by problems. Consistency is required, at least with Nintendo’s own titles. The 2mb ram is also used to transfer information between GBA and Gamecube, and while it’s early days, you can’t help but think that Nintendo may have left the door open to piracy.

The thought of Gamecube disks packed full of GBA games, which can be downloaded to the handheld in a matter of seconds, springs to mind. When I played the GBA last year, I was impressed, both by the clarity of the British designed screen, and the quality of the games on display. They certainly seemed to have been awarded far more effort than their GB Color cousins. It’s also worth noting that Nintendo have decided to launch the machine without a Pokemon title in the catalogue to guarantee sales. Perhaps this is all part of the plan, as Nintendo knows sales will easily outstrip supply at launch. To hold back on a Pokemon, gives them a vital weapon if sales start to dip. I am sure the GBA will be a global success. Expect a full appraisal on these pages as soon as it arrives.

WHERE ARE THE AWARDS?

Last year we gave a full run down of the favourite moments of 1999, so it’s about time I said what I liked and hated most about 2000. Actually it’s nice to reconsider games some time after you first played them. Some definitely improve, while some fade away. Ok, here goes if you’re really bothered...

Top 10 Games of 2000

10: Jet Set Radio - Dreamcast - Graphically stunning, and highly involving. For some reason it didn’t really hold much lasting interest. I never got round to reviewing this one, but it was definitely still one of the highlights of last year.

9: Perfect Dark - Nintendo 64 - There was so much hype that I even got sucked in. Thankfully the game played great, but despite tons more options, the multi-player versions just didn’t hold the addiction of those in Goldeneye. It’s all in there, but I stopped playing after a couple of months, though i’m not really sure why?

8: Excite Bike 64 - Nintendo 64 - Superbly tuned racing and handling makes this the best scramble biking game anywhere. Just when you thought it was getting dull, you get hooked on the multi-player hill climb. Classic Nintendo.

7: Crazy Taxi - Dreamcast - Was it really only last year?? Still a classic, with an arcade feel that no-one else can replicate. It’s still got that “oh, I fancy a go of that” factor. Brilliant.

6: Guitar Freaks 1/2 - Playstation - Maybe it’s because of the controllers, but multi-player Guitar Freak competitions are just about as much fun as you’ll find on a Playstation. Konami Bemani games have never been so much fun.

5: Zelda 2 - Nintendo 64 - I somehow feel i’m being a little controversial by putting this game barely in the top 5 of last year. However while the game is sheer brilliance on the behalf of Nintendo, it’s somehow not as absorbing as the original. I’m still only around half way through, and am not particularly eager to pick it up again. That said, I treated the original N64 Zelda in a similar way, finishing it over a year after it’s release. It is a great game, but not suited to gamers intent on just getting a quick fix.

4: Banjo Tooie - Nintendo 64 - Rare used all their tricks to create a completely sublime platform experience. Forget what other reviewers have said, this is a game packed with humour and originality. The intricate way in which the levels have been constructed will both have you pulling your hair out, and gaping in awe at Rare’s brilliance.

3: Dance Dance Revolution - Playstation - A series of three games which you are guaranteed to see me playing on a Friday night. Of course, you do need two dance mats, and some friends, but never under estimate the fun nights you will have with this game. Social gaming is becoming bigger genre, you’ll look like an idiot, your friends will look like idiots, but you’ll be richer for the experience, I promise.

2: Samba De Amigo - Dreamcast - I never used to like the Sonic Team, now I would suck the oily dirt from their shoes. To be honest, I don’t usually need an excuse to play with my maracas, but Sega gave me one anyway. Gameplay is pitched beautifully with battle modes, one player challenge modes, and tons of arcade styles. What really makes the game is the music, which could have been responsible for a big boom in Mambo CD sales, if only people had bought the game over here. The second in the series adds new modes, including waving the maracas around your whole body to score points. Meanwhile a graphical showcase rolls on in the background. Buy a Dreamcast, buy two sets of Maracas. You may need to re-mortgage your house!

1: Mario Tennis - Nintendo 64 - I made a mistake when I originally reviewed this, don’t even begin to compare it with Virtua Tennis on the Dreamcast. If you had told me a couple of years ago that I would have rated a tennis game as the best of the year, I would have laughed so hard you’d have punched me. I don’t even like tennis. However Mario Tennis is without doubt the most playable arcade game to grace a console in the past five years. Not only are the computer characters so well honed that they represent a true one player challenge, but multi-player battles can rage on for months. It’s a game of such perfect construction that you never blame the game itself for errors. No, “i’m sure that was in”, or “that ball went straight through my racket” statements. Two human players of the game can get so good, that emotion can determine the results. One player starts to lose a couple of games, then gets pressured and ends up losing the match. Just like the real thing. Then there are the doubles matches, bonus courts, special levels. I could go on, but i’ve already reviewed it. I’ll just finish by saying I have played Mario Tennis at least twice a week since it was released. Camelot are one of Nintendo’s biggest weapons, I look forward to seeing what they do next. By the way, the president of Sega voted Mario Tennis his favourite game of last year too.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2000

10: Perfect Dark - Nintendo 64 - A great game, but should have been a life changing game.

9: Fantavision - PS2 - An advanced Missile Command? , more like all graphics and no gameplay.

8: Metropolis Street Racer - Dreamcast - How can a game which looks so good, load so slow!

7: Tekken Tag - PS2 - Reinventing the beat-em-up genre may have been a bit much to hope for, but Tekken Tag did more for Dreamcast than it did for PS2.

6: Bangai 0 - Dreamcast - Treasure may have made Sin and Punishment, but don’t get too excited by their previous work. Shoot the tiny robots, and see if they disappear. No thanks.

5: Furfighters - Dreamcast - Rare meets Dreamcast?? My a*rse!

4: Speedball 2100 - Playstation - All the playability of a plate of goats cheese. Similar to the Amiga version, but no development at all.

3: Ridge Racer V - PS2 - All the gloss and glamour of, oh, Ridge Racer IV.

2: Shenmue - Dreamcast - Live a secret life inside your Dreamcast, well, not so secret if you follow the instructions in your notebook.

1: Driver 2 - Playstation - I don’t remember a game so bad getting in the top five for years. You can count the frame rate along with your favourite tunes.

That’s all for now - no reviews this time. Coming Soon - Reviews of Phantasy Star Online : Daytona 2001 : 18 Wheeler and Moto GP. I’ve played them, just need to think about them!

14th January 2001

IS IT TOO LATE FOR HAPPY NEW YEARS??

So, the games industry has survived Christmas, with Eidos keeping the number one with their Who Wants to be a Millionaire. This has got to be proof of how easily pleased the mass market videogamer has become. For me, the highlights of this Christmas have all come from Japan, with the current roster of UK releases being particularly dull. I’ll review the games i’ve been playing later on the page, but perhaps we should all spare a thought for those unlucky enough to get copies of 007 Racing or Driver 2 under the Christmas tree. The new year should have brought all those games which didn’t have time to reach the shelves before Christmas to the fore, however the reality is the complete opposite, with games shops relying on small discounts on year old titles to prop up their sales figures. Possibly the least appealing of all is the current line up of Playstation 2 games.

With the console now in the shops, waiting list fulfilled, you can only wonder how many punters will be tempted with the new year offerings of NHL 2001 and Super Bust-a-Move. If it wasn’t bad enough that Sony’s console launched without a single “killer ap”, we now have a selection of the worst titles to grace any console. Sky Surfer, Orphen, Wild Wild Racing top the dross list, with stale re-workings like ISS and Theme Park World doing little to back them up. Of course all this is good news for Sega fans, though it’s pretty fair to say that the so called next generation has become little more than a niche market. There are currently no PS2 titles in the top 40 games chart, with only one for the Dreamcast, which is the 4.99 Toy Racer. Possibly the worst pre-Christmas showing was for the gamers fave, the N64, with the UK relying solely on Majora’s Mask and a Pikachu shaped novelty console to retain Nintendo’s position. It could be argued that on the eve of any new format war, development on older systems takes a down turn, but at the same time, there should be amazing games on the new formats to balance the equation.

Sega is now having major financial problems thanks to low Dreamcast sales, but there are still a few quality titles in the works. Sony meanwhile seems to be relying on just two or three games from third parties. I think they may be gambling to highly on Polyphony’s Gran Turismo 3, which while bound to be a great racer, shows little real innovation, certainly not enough to persuade people to buy the console. Then we have Silent Hill 2, which while bound to impress horror and Res Evil fans, is being over shadowed by Konami’s other big game, Metal Gear Solid. I’ve played the demo, and it looks good, but whether worthy of buying the console for, well, i’ll wait till it’s finished, which isn’t until 2002.

The hardened gamer in me is glad Sony seems to be handling the post launch period so badly, desperate to see Sega given a fighting chance. My real loyalties perhaps rest with Nintendo though, the Gamecube looks stunning, and will of course have the games to back it up. With Nintendo handling Europe so badly in the past, it’s new UK distribution arm should make things happen marginally quicker. Can it really be true that Excite Bike 64, released in the US in the Summer, has been put back in the UK until May 2001?? Who’d be a gamer in the UK eh?