Let's look at the list realistically. I'll list games I have any sort of intention of playing at all.
Cave story 3D - So far it has been pushed back twice, and it's made by a company that have pushed back titles before, let's see if it comes out in 2011 at all. But if does, then it will be pretty cool.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked - It's a game I could see myself enjoy, but I have already played the current DS version, and paying full price for it seems rather out of the question since it does not really add a whole lot.
Sonic Generations - So far the 3DS version look like shit, but we will see once it comes out if it's good or not.
Star Fox 64 3D - Most likely not going to buy it since I have played the n64 version to death already. But it's still a solid game.
Tales of the Abyss - I have wanted to play this game for quite some time, actually. And I have simply been too lazy to pick up the PS2 version, so this game, apart from cave story, is the one I can see myself most likely to pick up.
That mario game - Not much is known about the game yet. Most likely a must have seeing as I liked the two galaxy games, but I prefer to wait until more is known until I spike anything.
Ocarina of time 3D - It's already out, and it was a remake. (And a rather lackluster one, IMO, YMMV)
I see no reason to defending the shitty line up that the 3DS had and is having. I looked through the list of slated releases and those are the only games up there that have been in any way interesting for me from the point the system was released to the end of the year. Some of those titles are even questionably if I even want to pick up. Everyone got their own taste of games, of course, but I doubt I will find anyone who have significant longer list than this.
The problem here is not that the list is too short, it's well within how many games I can buy this year. The problem is that only one (maybe starfox too now?) is out. It's been almost half a year since the release of the system. Many of the titles on day one where rather questionable, but the lineup since then have been too lackluster. The argument that good games take long time to develop is not really relevant, when you release a new system you have to plan to have at least a few decent/good games on day one. (Arguably fans of fighting games did.) As well as some high profile games in the coming months.
So far, the only high profile game to have hit the market is OoT, and that game is a remake. Don't get me wrong, one of the major good ups about OoT is that it's a well known game, therefor it will sell systems since people know what they are getting. But from a development perspective it's one of the downsides, in this case, since a remake won't take as long to make as a new game. You don't have to beta test the level design to see if it works from a fun factor or if players will get a puzzle, you only need to check to see if the engine works as it should.
And, although your mileage may vary, I think the remake could have been done a lot better. The only thing that had an upgrade was the visuals (which looks stunning ingame BTW.) The music, if nothing else, could have been remixed or been orchestrated (Which we learn the main theme was in the credits.) I can understand doing anything else would have been a lot more work, but that's what sets a good remake apart from a bad one. The level geometry could have been updated to be less blocky and be designed to work well with the upgrade visuals. A perfect example of where the design was changed slightly to match the new visuals is in the room you get the iron boots; it simply looks amazing, to say the least. Another example of what could have been done much better is hyrule field itself. It was amazing on the N64, but you can clearly understand that the design is very dated when looking at it today. You would not even have to make any huge changes to make the design better either, here, I can even list a few examples:
1. Move the dirt path on the ground to align with the hole in the fens (or the other way around.)
2. Add more around the "v" shaped stone walls make some small ruins or something to give it a better feel rather than looking odd.
3. Fill up the emptiness with something, it does not really have to be anything amazing, a tree or a rock here and there would do so much.
4. More life/enemies on the field. During night time as a child is the only point where you meet an sort of living (no phun intended) creature to interact with. This adds a lot to the point where it just feels empty traveling the wast area.
Is OoT a bad game? no.
Is OoT 3D a bad remake? no.
I just think they could have done so much more with it then they have.
But back to my original point before I started talking about OoT. I don't think Nintendo is the only one to blame for this, third parties have not really been there even though they said they wanted to back the system. Nintendo themselves have a lot of cool things in progress, and I have not really seen much that have caught my interest from third parties, and one that did have been canceled. :/
But ultimately, the blame does rest on Nintendos end though. Not about the question of offering any titles (though I must say that in half a year I expecting something that was not a remake to hit the shelves.) but the question of releasing the system. If they knew they did not have a lineup to support it, than they should have held in the system to at least the middle of summer.
And while it might seem some of you want to shift the blame of that onto third parties, I'm quite confident those are not to blame in this case. First of all, (while I don't have any numbers on this.) I don't think the 3DS sold specifically bad in Japan, which is a point. Next up is the fact of the system itself and the price tag. The price tag said a lot about the system when it was released, or more so, Nintendos response to people questioning the price. While this is a bit into speculation territory at this point, I still want you to hear me out. When fans questioned the rather high price tag Nintendo said with confidence that it was due to nothing else was on the market.
That statement said quite a bit about their view of their system. Not only did they think people would be interested in buying the system solo for the reason to play around with the 3D gimmick. They also thought it would be worth paying monopoly price for. Which brings me to my returning point of why the system had a price drop now. Mobile phones have started popping up (although I'm not sure anyone of those are out yet) that also feature 3D screen and cameras. Certainly, Nintendo must have known this was in works over half a year ago, and therefor rushed out the system in order to possibly make sales. Although, that may not be why the system was released when it was, but it's hard to argue against the statement that the system was released too early.
(TL;DR)
But the point I want to strike I guess, is that it annoys me when people try to defend the early launch and the shitty line up so far. There are no big titles on the market almost half a year in, not even the widely advertised kid icarus. (Which I thought would have been a launch title.)
I apologize if I came off as rude, I have tendency of doing so even if I don't mean to, and also for any shitty grammar and spelling errors in the wall of text.
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Luna won't you cry for me, I'm as lonely as I've ever been. I am forced back into the start, Is there any way to fix a broken heart? |
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